Supporting Tricare Families Through Insurance Challenges: Introducing our Low-Cost Clinic
Due to ongoing delays from TriWest in countersigning our contract, we are no longer able to provide insurance-covered appointments to Tricare families. To help bridge this gap, we’ve added a low-cost clinic option for Tricare families. This affordable clinic is also available to families with insurance we do not accept, such as Kaiser, HMOs other than UCSD Managed Care, or MediCal, who may be unable to afford the cost of our one-on-one consultations.
Published on February 10, 2025
Author: Robin Kaplan, M.Ed, IBCLC, FNC
At the San Diego Breastfeeding Center, we are dedicated to providing compassionate and expert care for families during their chest/breastfeeding journeys. It is with heavy hearts and sincere regret that we share an important update about our services.
Due to ongoing delays from TriWest in countersigning our contract, we are no longer able to provide insurance-covered appointments to Tricare families. This decision was not made lightly. We held out as long as we possibly could, hoping to avoid any gap in care.
We deeply understand how difficult and frustrating this situation is for our military families, and we remain committed to supporting them through this transition.
Introducing SDBFC’s Low-Cost Clinic
To help bridge this gap, we’ve added a low-cost clinic option for Tricare families. This affordable clinic is also available to families with insurance we do not accept, such as Kaiser, HMOs other than UCSD Managed Care, or MediCal, who may be unable to afford the cost of our one-on-one consultations.
Unlike our free support group, this clinic offers guidance from an IBCLC to provide a more in-depth and skilled assessment, as well as an individualized plan of care.
These 90-minute sessions cost $49 and include:
Oral exams (when needed)
Weighted feeds
Individualized care for latch, positioning, pain, and milk supply
Group size is limited to three families to ensure personalized attention.
Free Friday Support Group
We also continue to offer our free weekly support group led by Valori Sharp, our experienced lactation educator. This group provides general advice and weight checks in a supportive community setting.
Thank You for Your Understanding and Support
We are always looking for thoughtful ways to adapt and continue providing quality lactation care at accessible prices for our local San Diego families. The introduction of our new low-cost clinic has not only provided a much-needed solution for Tricare families but has also opened the door for many other local families with insurance we do not accept.
Your family’s health and well-being remain our top priority, and we are proud to find creative solutions to support you. We remain dedicated to serving you and advocating for better healthcare access for all families.
Due to their complex nature, all bottle feeding, pumping flange fittings, and functional nutrition appointments will only be available as private one-on-one consultations.
About SDBFC
The San Diego Breastfeeding Center was established in 2009 by Robin Kaplan, International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, Functional Nutritionist, and parent. Her vision was to create a judgment-free, inclusive support system for families navigating infant feeding challenges. SDBFC is committed to providing high-quality lactation and functional nutrition consultations to parents in San Diego and beyond. Explore our postpartum, prenatal, and functional nutrition consultations, take a breastfeeding class or attend a workshop.
About the Author
Robin Kaplan has been an IBCLC since 2009, the same year that she opened up the San Diego Breastfeeding Center. Robin was the founding host of the Boob Group podcast and published her first book, Latch: a Handbook for Breastfeeding with Confidence at Every Stage in 2018. Melding her passions for supporting lactating parents and holistic health, Robin finished her Functional Nutrition Certification in 2023. In her free time, she enjoys hanging out with her two teenage boys, hiking, traveling, weaving, cooking, and searching for the best chai latte.
Our New Low-Cost Breastfeeding Clinic
Written by Robin Kaplan, M.Ed, IBCLC
My background is in social justice and urban education. For the years before I started the San Diego Breastfeeding Center, I worked in inner-city elementary schools and for non-profits, including AmeriCorps, to help bring well-deserved resources and education to underserved communities who needed it the most. Because of this, one of the biggest challenges I have faced since I started SDBFC was trying to figure out how I could make my expertise and support accessible to ALL breastfeeding mothers... not just the ones who could afford my services. I have seen over and over again local moms posting on Facebook about how desperate they are for breastfeeding help, yet cannot afford to see a qualified IBCLC and this absolutely breaks my heart!
Not being able to help these mothers goes against everything I have been taught and everything I stand for.
Written by Robin Kaplan, M.Ed, IBCLC
My background is in social justice and urban education. For the years before I started the San Diego Breastfeeding Center, I worked in inner-city elementary schools and for non-profits, including AmeriCorps, to help bring well-deserved resources and education to underserved communities who needed it the most. Because of this, one of the biggest challenges I have faced since I started SDBFC was trying to figure out how I could make my expertise and support accessible to ALL breastfeeding mothers... not just the ones who could afford my services. I have seen over and over again local moms posting on Facebook about how desperate they are for breastfeeding help, yet cannot afford to see a qualified IBCLC and this absolutely breaks my heart!
Not being able to help these mothers goes against everything I have been taught and everything I stand for.
No one should be denied qualified breastfeeding assistance and support because of their financial situation. While I have loved offering community-based breastfeeding support groups, when a mom is faced with a complicated breastfeeding situation, it is almost impossible to receive the necessary attention and follow-up when there are 10-20 other moms in the room, who happen to also be looking for their own support.
When I founded SDBFC, my 5-year plan was to be able to offer reduced-fee consultations to mothers who needed low-cost options. Well, we just celebrated our 5-year anniversary and I am thrilled to announce our new low-cost breastfeeding clinic!
Here are the clinic details:
At our 90-minute low cost breastfeeding clinic, up to three moms/babies will meet with a lactation consultant (IBCLC) and receive assistance with their breastfeeding challenges.
What takes place at the clinic:
- Baby is evaluated for tongue tie and lip tie
- Breastfeeding position and latch are assessed
- Baby is weighed before and after the feeding to see how much breastmilk was transferred
- Mom is given a personalized Plan of Care
Reasons why a mom would want to attend the clinic:
- Baby not latching or nursing well within 24 hours of birth
- Tongue tie or lip tie
- Nipple pain/damage
- Baby is gaining weight too slowly
- Mom feels like she doesn’t have enough milk
- Nursing multiples
- Nursing a preemie
- Recurrent plugged ducts/mastitis
Requirements: Mom qualifies for WIC, baby has MediCal, or mom or dad must be active duty military.
Cost: $25
Registration: Mandatory, as space is limited to 3 moms per clinic (www.sdbfc.com/consultations)
My sincere hope is that this is just the beginning of SDBFC making connections with more local communities by providing judgment-free, affordable breastfeeding support for any mom who needs it! We have many more plans in the works and we are excited to get started!
If you have any local connections to organizations that work with low-income pregnant or new moms, please send me an email (robinkaplan@sdbfc.com) so that I can send them information about our new clinic!