I accept many insurance plans, making lactation support available with no out of pocket cost to you!

Please submit your information here for insurance verification.

Please see more information below!

Aetna PPO:

I am in network with many Aetna PPO, EPO, OA, POS, and other plans (unfortunately not HMO). Aetna typically covers 6 lactation related visits with no cost sharing. For a full list of in-network plans, please click here. Please submit your information for insurance verification using the link above.

Anthem PPO, Blue Cross/Blue Shield PPO, Cigna PPO (limited plans), and any card with a Multiplan or PNOA logo.

I accept these plans by partnering with The Lactation Network (typically covering at least 6 lactation related visits at no cost to you) for out of network billing. Please submit your information for insurance verification using the link above and I will forward it to TLN for verification.

United Healthcare

I am in network with many UHC plans. Please submit your information for insurance verification using the link above.

Tricare:

I am a Tricare non-network provider for beneficiaries enrolled in the West region.

Tricare Select: no authorization/referral needed, you can schedule directly with me (either in person or telehealth) and you will be covered for up to 6 visits.

Tricare Prime: Please have your OB, midwife, or other health provider put in a referral using the WARF tool (they should know what this is). Providing them with the following information may be critical in ensuring the referral is input correctly. Please contact me once referral is requested so I can follow up appropriately! (Note: approval should be valid for 6 months, so you may consider asking about this towards the end of your pregnancy.)

Event Classification: this depends on the severity of your current status (Emergent: patient needs to be seen within 24 hours; Urgent: patient needs to be seen within within 3 business days; Routine: patient needs to be seen within 28 days). I encourage you to ask for your referral to be marked as you feel is appropriate.

Diagnosis code: z39.1 (Encounter for care and examination of lactating mother)

Request type: Outpatient Authorization- P159 Breastfeeding Counseling

Servicing Provider: They can locate me using my tax ID: 86-2457195

Ariana J Lapierre NPI: 1306342058 Phone: (949) 342-8181 Fax: (949)342-8610 Specialty: Birthing

Other Insurance Plans/HMOs/No Insurance:

Depending on your insurance, you may try to get pre-authorization for our visit. First, please reach out to your OB/GYN, midwife, or baby’s pediatrician to get a “referral” for lactation support. It will be helpful if it has my information (listed below in the white box). Call your insurance company, following the beginning of the “script” below. If they are able to provide you with a list of suitable in network lactation consultants, you may need to call and book with them. If, however, they are unable to provide you with this information, you can ask for an “in for out” or “gap exception” which will allow a visit with me to be covered by insurance. Companies can still be difficult about paying, so I do require payment at time of service and will either submit a claim to your insurance company directly or will provide you with a superbill so that you can seek reimbursement (this will depend on whether a prior authorization number was obtained or not).

I do accept FSA/HSA cards and fee-for-service/self pay.

Contact me regarding discounted rates for those insured solely by Medi Cal.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions you may have.

Health Insurance plans must cover women’s preventative services (including lactation support) at 100%!!

The law states that under the Affordable Care Act, insurers MUST cover, at no cost to the patient (no cost sharing/no deductible), “comprehensive lactation support and counseling, by a trained provider during pregnancy and/or in the postpartum period, and costs for renting breastfeeding equipment”. Click here for more information regarding this law and how you can ensure your insurance company complies.

Unfortunately, the language in this law is a bit vague, so insurance companies feel they have some ability to interpret exactly what “comprehensive lactation support” means, and who qualifies as a “trained provider”. This means that not all insurance companies are covering lactation services in exactly the same way. What does this mean for you and how do you know how your insurance company will handle this? Read on…

Private insurance: Most insurance plans are obligated to cover lactation services. The exception is older (“grandfathered”) insurance plans that existed prior to March 23, 2010, the date the ACA was signed in to law. Your insurance plan will prefer for you to see an “in-network” lactation consultant. However, most plans do not contract lactation consultants (Aetna is the exception). If your insurance company is unable to help you locate a network provider, they must allow you to see an “out of network” provider at no cost to you, typically through what is called a “gap exception” or out of network exception. Please call your insurance company to determine the status of your plan/ensure your lactation support will be 100% covered. It may be helpful to get a referral for lactation support from your baby’s pediatrician or your OB/midwife. If you have this, please mention it when calling your insurance company. See below for a sample script and information you will need to get an out of network exception, if needed.