GOT LACTATION CARE QUESTIONS?

The Lactation Network (TLN) partners with the largest network of International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs) in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. TLN IBCLCs offer expert clinical care via in-home, in-office, and/or telehealth lactation consultations depending on your location.

The Lactation Network exclusively partners with International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs), who hold the highest level of certification possible among lactation specialists. We verify the credentials of every IBCLC who joins our network and perform monthly background checks for every TLN IBCLC.  An IBCLC must log hundreds of clinical hours, pass a rigorous exam administered through the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners (IBLCE), and complete dozens of hours of continuous education each year to keep their certifications.

Each visit is unique and based on a parent and child’s needs at that time. Learn more about how to prepare for your lactation consultation here.

Just as each baby is special and unique, each parent will have different lactation needs. You might find it helpful to partner with an IBCLC right as you begin breastfeeding. You may even want support building confidence with an IBCLC consultation before you give birth. And you may find you like having the guidance of an IBCLC for later milestones, like introducing solids and returning to work. Team up with your IBCLC to map out the best care plan for you and your family’s needs. Many insurance plans offer coverage for as many visits as are medically necessary.

Telehealth appointments are video calls (not just a phone call) with an IBCLC. They will be able to see and offer expert advice for your breastfeeding experience as they would during an in-home or in-office visit. You can use your smartphone or desktop computer to join the session.

If your IBCLC enables telehealth and you are eligible for telehealth visits, they will send you a link to initiate the call OR you can join the telehealth sessions in several places in your portal: The Dashboard, Appointments, and Chat. Look for the telehealth icon () to join the call.

After you click that Join Telehealth Call prompt, a window will open in the portal to start your session. Note: You may enter the telehealth “waiting room” at any time before the IBCLC has joined.

Please note that if your IBCLC is using their own telehealth platform, they will send you a link to join your session.

We will ask you to provide demographic information about you and your baby(ies) receiving lactation care, an email and phone number, your family insurance card(s) (or your one-time code from your sponsor), and subscriber information. We’ll also ask where and when you’d prefer to be seen. With this information, we can check your eligibility for insurance-covered lactation care.  If you use your IBCLC’s unique URL you will be paired directly with them. If you register through our main site, you will have the option to write in the name of the IBCLC you prefer to see.

Please contact your IBCLC, and they will provide you with their unique URL to request a consultation. You may also write in their name when requesting a consultation here.

After you’ve registered, you will be informed of your eligibility to receive insurance-covered care through TLN. If you’re eligible, you can connect directly with the IBCLC who sent you to TLN to check your coverage. We can also pair you with one in our network.  If you need to be paired, we will email you your consultant’s name and contact information once they have confirmed eligibility. This information will also be available in the myTLN portal. Then, depending on your location and preferences, you’ll connect directly with your IBCLC to schedule a consult in your home, virtually, or at your IBCLC’s office.

This will depend on two main factors: How quickly we can confirm your eligibility and the availability of your IBCLC.

• emergent requests will receive a same-business-day response
• urgent requests will receive a response within one business day
• planning ahead/prenatal/non-urgent requests will receive a response within two business days maximum

Please note: Plans that require a referral may need additional time as we wait for the referral to be processed from your primary care physician (PCP) and through your insurer’s system.
After your eligibility is confirmed, you’ll work with your IBCLC to schedule an appointment.

Since babies cannot be added to an insurance plan prior to birth, we ask that you provide this information once your baby(ies) arrives. Please add your baby(ies) to your insurance plan after they’re born and then notify us. If you know in advance which insurance plan your baby(ies) will be added to, please let us know so we can provide prompt support for your postpartum visits.  
 
If you are updating insurance information for your baby(ies), you can select the profile icon in the top right corner of your myTLN portal to review your patient profile. Select the Baby information tab and scroll down to the Insurance section. At the bottom of the section, click Update in the green Want to update your insurance? box. 
 
Once you click Confirm, your status in the myTLN status bar will say “Pending” while we confirm your updated information; you will be unable to schedule an insurance-covered visit until your new insurance has been confirmed. For more detailed information, please refer to the user guide.

Please inform us of any insurance changes to prevent delays in your care.  If you need to update your insurance, open your myTLN portal and select the profile icon in the top right corner.  You can update your insurance by navigating to the My Information tab and scrolling down to the Insurance section. At the bottom of the section, click Update in the green Want to update your insurance? box. Once you click Confirm, your status in the myTLN status bar will be pending while we confirm your updated information; you will be unable to schedule an insurance-covered visit until your new insurance has been confirmed. For more detailed information, please refer to the user guide. 

Navigate to mytln.care/login and enter your email and password.  Hit “forgot password?” if you can’t remember your password. We will send you an email to reset it.   If you have started a registration form but weren’t able to complete it, you can pick up where you left off once you log in.  You will see your patient dashboard after you have submitted your registration form

Please reach out to [email protected] and we’d be happy to assist you!

Your IBCLC’s information can be found on the home screen of your portal. You can contact them outside of the portal by using the contact information provided in the My Lactation Consultant box within the myTLN portal. You can also contact your IBCLC via the Chat feature, found at the top of your portal. This is only enabled if your IBCLC uses the chat functionality.  

Your upcoming and past appointments can be viewed by clicking the Appointments option at the top of your portal.

• Upcoming appointments will show you any appointments that you have planned with your IBCLC.
• Past appointments will show you any previous appointments you had with your IBCLC.

Not all IBCLCs will use the portal to indicate an upcoming appointment. If you do not see an appointment listed in the portal and are unsure of your upcoming appointment details, please reach out to your IBCLC directly.

At this time, the myTLN portal does not have scheduling capabilities. If you need to schedule, reschedule, or cancel an appointment, please reach out to your IBCLC directly.

If your IBCLC uses our charting feature, your Care Plan will be available as soon as your visit notes have been completed by your IBCLC. You can access these notes by navigating to your Appointments tab > Past > select Care Plan.  If your IBCLC uses their own charting system, your IBCLC will be responsible for sending you your care plan.

This depends on your specific insurance plan. For many insurance providers, TLN accepts covered benefits at 100% regardless of out–of–pocket cost applied for your initial visit, plus necessary follow-up consultations as determined by your IBCLC. We will notify you of any restrictions up–front after you request a consult here.

You can find out if your insurance covers lactation consultations through TLN by entering your information here. If you’ve submitted the registration form you will be able to find out your status by logging into your myTLN portal at mytln.care. 

It depends on your family’s insurance coverage, but most plans will cover what’s called a “prenatal consultation” during pregnancy. Request a consult here and we will let you know if you’re covered.

Above all, we believe that lactation care is a right, not a privilege.

The Lactation Network will continue to advocate on behalf of our patients and IBCLC partners for insurers to recognize us as a participating provider under the Affordable Care Act if no network is available for members under their current plan. We are also diligently working on partnership arrangements with insurance plans to become part of their networks. Check here for additional breastfeeding resources.

Some health plans require prior authorization (also called pre-certification) to get approval for health care services through The Lactation Network. After you request a consult, we will inform you if this is required for your insurance plan.

A referral is an electronic or written order from your primary care physician for you to see a specialist for services. Not all plans require a referral before care is offered. Check with your individual health plan to confirm if you need a referral.

If your insurance company needs a referral, you must contact your primary care physician and request a referral for a lactation consultation through The Lactation Network. You will need to work directly with insurance to submit your referral; The Lactation Network does not accept general referral paperwork. We’re happy to help you if you require support for the referral process — just email us at intake@tln.care.

Some insurance plans only cover in-home or in-person lactation consultation visits and do not cover telehealth. When you register with TLN, you’ll be informed if telehealth visits are not covered. TLN is continuing talks with insurance plans to address this, and we hope to cover telehealth consultations for these plans in the future.

An Explanation of Benefits (EOB) is NOT a bill. An EOB provides information on how your insurance carrier processed the claims received from TLN. It indicates how your existing lactation benefits were applied to the claims submitted. It is TLN’s policy not to bill patients for out-of-pocket costs associated with lactation care, in line with our mission that this care is covered 100% by the Affordable Care Act (ACA). To learn more about EOBs, click here.

You can fill out our regular online registration form and select that you are pursuing lactation care benefits through the VA when asked about insurance. From there we will ask if you have a referral document or authorization number (both optional). If not, we will work with you and your Care Coordinator directly.

Once you’re confirmed to be eligible for insurance-covered care, you won’t owe any money to TLN for your visit. You may, if already paired with an IBCLC, incur charges directly from your IBCLC related to travel or other fees related to their care. Please consult directly with your IBCLC to make sure you understand any and all fees they may have through their private practice.

You can contact your organization’s HR department and request your company–specific TLN URL/QR code to sign up. By using this specific form, you will be connected with your employer in our system.