Tricare (West) and BreastPumps

Anyone know if Tricare (TriWest, specifically) covers breast pump purchases?

A friend is giving me a hospital grade Medela Lactina, but if it doesn't work out for me, I may need to purchase a different one and have heard the Medela Lactina or Ameda Purely Yours are both awesome and if I can get it for free via insurance, I would like to make sure I have a pump that works for me since I have some very complicated issues with pumping as is (which, luckily, as a SAHM, I didn't have to pump much with my 1DS, but if my DD is a preemie, I might be pumping a lot, so I'm trying to be prepared!).

I keep forgetting to call them during business hours----I never remember til like...oh...AFTER MIDNIGHT. *Fail*

I got a Ameda Purely Yours for free through WIC at my health dept.

Quoting kate♥[j&a]:" I got a Ameda Purely Yours for free through WIC at my health dept."

I don't get WIC. Not sure if we qualify. I haven't applied.
I was never given a pump from WIC with my DS and I exclusively breast fed him too. Perhaps they didn't give me a pump since I wasn't working or in school. I'm still not either of those, so I don't know if they'd give one this time.

Quoting P Pickle Pants:" I don't get WIC. Not sure if we qualify. I haven't applied. I was never given a pump from WIC with ... [snip!] ... me a pump since I wasn't working or in school. I'm still not either of those, so I don't know if they'd give one this time."

My cousin qualified for WIC & her husband had a great job & made alot of money. You might would qualify. I only got a pump cause I told them I was gonna be starting school. It was only one class one day a week for three months but it was enough for the lactation consultant to put down on paper to get me a pump for free. She was really helpful.

Quoting kate♥[j&a]:" My cousin qualified for WIC & her husband had a great job & made alot of money. You might would ... [snip!] ... a week but it was enough for the lactation consultant to put down on paper to get me a pump for free. She was really helpful."

I have my degree and choose to be a SAHM. So, unless she's preemie, which I wouldn't know til she comes, there's no NEED reason why WIC would give me one.

I had an awful WIC office with my son. They didn't even ask/offer about breastfeeding other than which I was doing on the check-box so they knew whether to give me formula or food checks :/ Just awful.

With my son, we qualified til my hubs got promoted, then we didn't with one kid but did again when I got pregnant again (2kids). He's gotten another decent raise since then, so I don't know if we would qualify. We're close to the limit one way or the other.

I went to the Triwest website, and this is what they say about breastpumps.. hope it helps  

• Heavy-duty hospital grade electric breast pumps, including services and supplies related to the use of the pump, are covered for mothers ofpremature infants
• Pumps may be covered after discharge from the hospital if medically warranted and accompanied with a doctor's prescription
• Authorization is required
• Cost-shared as Durable Medical Equipment (DME) upon discharge
• Pumps for personal convenience are not covered. Manual breast pumps and basic electric breast pumps are also not covered.

<blockquote><b>Quoting ~~Kris~~:</b>" I went to the Triwest website, and this is what they say about breastpumps.. hope it helps   Heavy-duty ... [snip!] ... for personal convenience are not covered. Manual breast pumps and basic electric breast pumps are also not covered."</blockquote>


That's what I thought. Guess if she IS preemie (37w is term, but my stitch comes out and my doc won't stop at 36, so even if I don't have issues, she may still technically be a preemie, plus I have severely inverted nipples, so I may have issues nursing if she doesn't take well to it like her big bro did!).

I don't know why I didn't think to check the website! Damn pregnancy brain!

I'd try WIC we get it my husband is E-5.

<blockquote><b>Quoting Emily Campos:</b>" I'd try WIC we get it my husband is E-5."</blockquote>


We got it when we were E5, but didn't qualify as E6. And he got a 10yr raise too now.