Res 0637-2026

Res. No. 637 ..Title Resolution calling on the New York State Legislature to pass, and the Governor to sign, legislation requiring insurers to cover all lactation consultation and counseling services without restrictions and reimburse providers accordingly ..Body By Council Members Santosuosso, Farías, Restler and J. Sanchez Whereas, Medical institutions and professional organizations such as the American Academy of Pediatrics, Cleveland Clinic, UNICEF and the World Health Organization note that breastfeeding provides the best nutrition source for most infants, reduces risk of diseases, supports development, and benefits birthing parents by lowering the risk of breast and ovarian cancer, type 2 diabetes, and high blood pressure; and Whereas, A 2019 study published in Oxford University Press’s Health Policy and Planning Journal found that adequate breastfeeding would save nearly 100,000 mothers’ and 600,000 children’s lives annually worldwide, and prevent nearly $340 billion in avoidable health care costs and lost earnings annually; and Whereas, Despite the benefits, a study conducted by researchers at the University of Milan and Maastricht University Medical Center showed that breastfeeding difficulties experienced by mothers in the first months after delivery are associated with early breastfeeding discontinuation; and Whereas, Common breastfeeding challenges include establishing a proper latch between the birthing parent and baby, problems with milk supply and ducts, breast pain and infections, breastfeeding babies with jaundice or low birth weight, and breastfeeding post-surgery; and Whereas, According to the New York State Department of Health, breastfeeding disparities are rooted in systemic and structural racism, implicit bias, and racial discrimination, including through forced wet nursing and medical mistrust, and more than half of parents in New York do not meet their own infant feeding goals, especially people of color, with low incomes, or living in low-resource neighborhoods; and Whereas, A 2016 study in the Journal of Human Lactation found that breastfeeding support interventions in which women used lactation consultants or counselors, such as through structured counseling, education, or programs for the maternal-infant unit and health care team, increased the number of women initiating breastfeeding; and Whereas, The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office affirms that International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs), Certified Lactation Counselors, Certified Breastfeeding Educators, and doulas are trained professionals equipped to support parents with breastfeeding challenges and questions; and Whereas, Lactation consultants perform assessments of both the birthing parent and infant, observe feedings to assess latch and milk transfer, provide coaching, review parent and infant health records, conduct physical examinations, and establish feeding plans; and Whereas, A recent study by the University of California Los Angeles Center for Health Policy Research found that top barriers for accessing lactation consultations were high out-of-pocket expenses for consultation visits and confusing insurance coverage; and Whereas, While the Affordable Care Act (ACA) mandates that health insurance plans cover lactation consultations, coverage varies depending on the type of insurance plan; and Whereas, In recent years, insurers like United Health Care, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Cigna Healthcare have restricted billing and payment for lactation services by treating the birthing parent and baby as one patient or by contracting with a single lactation provider organization for all in-network care; and Whereas, Lactation support providers have reported that reimbursement rates have largely stayed flat in recent years, on top of having upfront costs to pay for equipment and resources like breast pump flanges, or shields, that help birthing parents express milk, making it difficult for providers to earn a living wage; and Whereas, In a recent statement from the Academy of Lactation Policy and Practice, chronic underpayment of lactation professionals has been an issue historically, and further cuts to reimbursements threaten the ability of such professionals to continue their work all together; and Whereas, A 2025 study published in the Interactive Journal of Medical Research reported New York State had 1,057 IBCLCs state-wide and 23.7 IBCLCs per 100,000 women, below the national average of 25.5; and Whereas, According to the National Women’s Law Center, other limitations on lactation consultations, which undermine the intent of the ACA, include insurance plans only providing coverage for lactation counseling on an inpatient basis during the post-delivery hospital stay, insurance issuers only allowing women to receive lactation services within a specific number of months post-delivery, and limiting the number of lactation visits covered; and Whereas, State legislation requiring insurance carriers to pay lactation consultants for all the services they provide would recognize the importance of breastfeeding care and would enable parents who choose to breastfeed to have comprehensive support for the health of their infants and themselves; now, therefore be it Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls on the New York State Legislature to pass, and the Governor to sign, legislation requiring insurers to cover all lactation consultation and counseling services without restrictions and reimburse providers accordingly. SY LS #25311 8/17/2026 10:54 AM