Lactation coverage for United Healthcare in Houston and San Antonio
We are in-network with most United Healthcare plans plus the full UHC family of plan administrators (UMR, Surest, AllSavers, GEHA, Oxford, and others). UHC has a few specific plan exceptions and a telehealth note worth knowing about. We verify your benefits in advance and put the full estimate in writing.
UHC plan types we cannot bill
Most UHC plans we accept directly. These specific plan types do not cover IBCLC visits with us. If you are on one of these, you can still book as a self-pay patient and we will give you the rate up front.
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UHC Marketplace plans
UnitedHealthcare Marketplace (HealthCare.gov) plans are out of network for our IBCLCs, though we can sometimes bill these through The Lactation Network. Verification confirms whether yours can be billed.
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Kelseycare plans
Kelseycare plans are out of network for our IBCLCs. Visits are self-pay.
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UHC Charter Plans
United Healthcare Charter plans are out of network for our IBCLCs. Visits are self-pay.
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Oxford Health plans (when not via TLN)
Oxford Health plans require routing through The Lactation Network when possible. If TLN cannot bill your specific Oxford plan, the visit becomes self-pay.
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Telehealth visits
We no longer offer telehealth visits for UHC plans. UHC does not allow their standard lactation code to be billed through telehealth, so the visit cannot be reimbursed properly. Telehealth remains available on a self-pay basis.
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Grandfathered plans
Grandfathered UHC plans that predate the Affordable Care Act are exempt from preventive-service rules and may not cover lactation visits. If yours does not, the visit is self-pay.
How we work with your insurance
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You submit the intake form
Tell us about your plan and what is going on with feeding. The form is HIPAA compliant and routes directly to our billing team.
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We verify your benefits
Our billing team contacts UHC to confirm in-network status, copay or coinsurance, deductible, visit limits, and the specific plan administrator (UHC, UMR, Surest, or another UHC-family plan).
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You get a written estimate
Before your first visit you receive an email with your verified benefits and the expected out-of-pocket cost. No surprise bills after the fact.
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We file the claim
After your visit we submit the claim to UHC or the appropriate administrator. If you owe a copay, coinsurance, or deductible, that is billed to the card on file.
Plan-specific details for UHC patients
Visits are billed under the lactating parent
Beginning August 15, 2026, UnitedHealthcare no longer covers lactation visits billed under the infant, and we cannot bill a visit on a baby’s policy. We bill your visit under the lactating parent, whose ACA lactation benefit applies. If your baby is the only person insured under UHC, the visit is self-pay unless a parent is also on a plan we can bill. Verification gives you the realistic picture before your first visit.
We don’t offer telehealth for UHC plans
UHC does not allow their standard lactation code to be billed through telehealth, so the visit cannot be reimbursed properly. We discontinued telehealth for UHC patients. Telehealth is available on a self-pay basis if you need a virtual visit.
Confirming in-network status
You can search “Lactation Specialists” by logging in to your UHC member portal. You may need to expand the search radius to fifty miles to see us. The most reliable check is our verification step, which confirms the answer in writing.
Home-visit travel fee is patient-billed
Home visits incur a $70 travel fee billed directly to your card on file. The visit itself bills to UHC under home visit codes the same way an office visit would.
UHC-family plans we accept
If your insurance card shows one of these names, your plan is administered through United Healthcare’s network. We are in-network for all of these the same way we are for UHC directly.
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UMR
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Surest (formerly Bind)
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Bind (legacy plans)
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AllSavers
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GEHA (federal employees; uses UHC network)
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Oxford Health Plans
via 
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UnitedHealthcare Shared Services
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US Networks (UHC Global)
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United Healthplans Inc.
What UHC coverage looks like with us
Typically covered
- Initial postpartum lactation consultation (in office)
- Prenatal lactation consultation
- Follow-up lactation visits within plan limits
- Tongue-tie and oral function assessment
- Pumping and back-to-work consultation
- Nursing well checks within plan limits
- Home visits
Patient-billed regardless of plan
- Home visit travel fee ($70)
- Telehealth visits (not offered for UHC plans; self-pay only)
- Late-cancellation and no-show fees
- Lactation visits when the baby is the only one insured (as of August 15, 2026, UHC does not cover lactation billed under the infant)
- Marketplace, Kelseycare, UHC Charter, and most Oxford plans (self-pay)
- Chiropractic care, bodywork, and laser therapy are cash-pay services, not billed under your medical plan
Confirming what your specific plan covers is the point of the verification step. The list above reflects general patterns across UHC plans we work with, not a guarantee for any individual plan.
UHC-specific questions
Are UMR, Surest, and AllSavers the same as UHC?
They are part of the same family. UMR is a third-party administrator that uses UHC’s provider network. Surest (formerly Bind) is a UHC subsidiary plan design that uses UHC providers. AllSavers is a UHC small-group product. We are in-network for all three the same way we are for UHC directly. The full UHC-family list is in the section above.
My card says Bind, not Surest. Are you still in-network?
Yes. Bind rebranded to Surest in 2022, but some legacy plans still use Bind-branded materials and member ID cards. We are in-network for both Bind and Surest plans.
Will there be a charge on my baby’s claim?
No. Beginning August 15, 2026, UnitedHealthcare no longer covers lactation visits billed under the infant, and we cannot bill a visit on a baby’s policy. We bill your visit under the lactating parent.
The Affordable Care Act requires insurers to cover lactation services for the lactating parent without out-of-pocket cost (assuming a non-grandfathered plan). If your baby is the only person insured under UHC, the visit is self-pay unless a parent is also on a plan we can bill. Verification will tell you what to expect for your specific plan.
Do you offer telehealth visits for UHC patients?
Not under UHC. UHC does not allow their standard lactation code to be billed through telehealth, so the visit cannot be reimbursed properly. We discontinued telehealth for UHC plans. In-office and home visits with UHC are unaffected. If you need a telehealth visit, we can schedule one on a self-pay basis at our standard telehealth rate.
My card says Oxford. Will you bill it?
Oxford Health plans are routed through The Lactation Network (TLN) when possible. If TLN can bill your specific Oxford plan, the claim flows through them at no out-of-pocket cost to you for the visit. If TLN cannot bill your plan, Oxford visits are self-pay. Verification confirms which path applies.
Do I need to wait for my insurance to be verified before booking my appointment?
No. You can book your appointment before your insurance is verified. As long as you submit your insurance information at least 1–2 business days (Monday through Friday) before your appointment, our team will have enough time to verify your coverage prior to your visit. If you are submitting the day before your scheduled visit, please submit by 3 PM so we have time to verify.
If we discover that your plan is not covered or has unusual restrictions, we will notify you by email and text message. If you decide to cancel your appointment due to lack of coverage, we will waive the cancellation fee as long as you request cancellation on the same day we notify you.
Have a different carrier?
We are in-network with these as well.
Ready to Get Started?
Request your appointment, and we’ll verify your insurance benefits before your visit.
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