The Affordable Care Act
What is the Affordable Care Act?
Also known as "ObamaCare", the ACA is a United States federal statute signed into law by President Barack Obama on March 23, 2010.
In addition to the Healthcare and Education Reconciliation Act, it represents the most recent and significant regulation of the United States Healthcare system.
The ACA recognizes the health benefits of breastfeeding provides two major provisions to encourage mothers to achieve their breastfeeding goals:
1. Reasonable break time and private space to express milk (up to 1 year)
2. Health insurance benefits to decrease the costs associated with providing breast milk to babies
Reasonable Break Time for Nursing Mothers
Section 4207 of the ACA requires workplaces with 50+ employees to provide a reasonable break time and a private, non-bathroom space
for nursing mothers to express breast milk during the workday (up to one year after their child's birth). Effective March 23, 2010.
Read Sec. 4207
Women's Preventive Services
The ACA requires health insurance support for breastfeeding pump rental and breastfeeding educational services with Section 2713.
Read Sec. 2713
Benefits include:
- Well-woman visits
- Gestational Diabetes screening
- Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) testing
- Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) counseling
- Human Immunosuppressive Virus (HIV) screening and counseling
- Contraception counseling
- Breastfeeding counseling and supplies
- Domestic violence screening and counseling
Specific federal ACA breastfeeding benefits and resources:
- Coverage for breastfeeding education
- Breastfeeding supplies benefits
The National Breastfeeding Helpline: (800) 994-9662
For more information about the Affordable Care Act:
The US Dept. of Health and Human Services
American Academy of Pediatrics
The United States Breastfeeding Committee