SPRINGFIELD – Mothers needing donated breast milk would benefit under new legislation carried by State Senator Rachelle Crowe (D-Glen Carbon).
The initiative would require insurance companies to cover costs of pasteurized donated human breast milk for mothers with infants deemed medically necessary in Illinois.
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“Mothers incapable of producing milk should still have access to the benefits and nutrients of breast milk for their newborns with medical conditions,” Crowe said.
Under the measure for coverage, the milk must come from a milk bank licensed by the Illinois Department of Public Health or a source that meets guidelines set by the Human Milk Banking Association of North America. The mother must be unable to produce milk to meet the infant’s needs, and the infant must also be critically ill.
This legislation requires the breast milk to be prescribed by a licensed medical professional.
House Bill 3509 will now return to the House for a concurrence vote.
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