November marks the beginning of open enrollment—a crucial time to make decisions about your health benefits for the upcoming year. If you're a breastfeeding parent or planning to be one, understanding how to maximize your health savings can make a significant difference. In this blog post, we'll explore the benefits of breastfeeding, how Milkify's breast milk freeze-drying service enhances your breastfeeding journey, and how you can leverage your HSA or FSA accounts to support this essential service.
The Incredible Benefits of Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding offers a multitude of health advantages for both the baby and the mother. It's not just about nutrition; it's about fostering a strong immune system, promoting healthy growth, and strengthening the emotional bond between mom and baby.
- Optimal Nutrition: Breast milk contains the perfect balance of vitamins, proteins, and fats essential for your baby's development.
- Immune Support: Antibodies in breast milk help babies fight off viruses and bacteria.
- Reduced Risk of Diseases: Lowers the risk of asthma, allergies, ear infections, and respiratory illnesses.
- And many more: scientists are just scratching the surface in terms of understanding all of the many benefits of breast milk, but it’s safe to say that there is a strong consensus: breast milk is the gold standard for infant nutrition
- Reduced Health Risks for Mom: Lowers the risk of breast and ovarian cancers, type 2 diabetes, and postpartum depression, among many other benefits
How Milkify Enhances Your Breastfeeding Journey
While breastfeeding is immensely beneficial, it comes with challenges—especially when it comes to storage and preservation. Not everyone can breastfeed, and many moms cannot be physically present to breastfeed their babies multiple times per day. That’s why pumping, freezing, and storing/transporting breast milk can quickly become important (and often challenging) aspects of feeding your baby. That's where Milkify's breast milk freeze-drying service comes in.
Extend Shelf Life Up to 3 Years
Per the CDC, traditional freezing methods can preserve breast milk’s quality for up to 1 year. However, for maximum quality, up to 6 months in the freezer is actually best. Milkify's freeze-drying technology extends the shelf life up to 3 years without compromising the nutritional value of the milk, which is a game changer given that the WHO and AAP recommend that infants receive breast milk for the first two years of life or longer!
Convenience and Flexibility
- Travel-Friendly: Freeze-dried milk is lightweight and doesn't require refrigeration, making it perfect for travel.
- Easy Preparation: Simply add water to rehydrate the milk whenever needed.
- Space-Saving: No more crowded freezers; store months' worth of milk in a small cabinet space.
- Disaster preparedness: with frozen breast milk, a power outage can ruin months of hard work. But freeze-dried breast milk is shelf stable, greatly reducing anxiety around the safety of your “stash”.
- Taste: while frozen, some breast milk can develop a soapy/metallic taste due to lipase activity; freeze-drying stops the clock on lipase activity, and can even help improve the taste of high-lipase milk
Supporting Your Breastfeeding Goals
By making breast milk storage more convenient and long-lasting, Milkify empowers parents to continue providing breast milk even when returning to work or dealing with life's unpredictabilities. It can also be a great solution for intended parents having a baby via a surrogate mother or gestational carrier, parents who are adopting and relying on shipping donor milk, members of the military moving to a new station, and more.
Why Milkify is HSA/FSA Eligible
Milkify's freeze-drying service is classified as a healthcare service related to infant feeding, similar to lactation consulting and breast pumps. This means you can use your Health Savings Account (HSA) or Flexible Spending Account (FSA) funds to cover the costs.
- Tax Advantages: Using pre-tax dollars from your HSA or FSA reduces your overall taxable income.
- Easy Payment: Milkify has partnered with Flex, allowing you to use your HSA/FSA cards directly at checkout.
- Additional Support: Flex will provide a detailed itemized receipt whenever the "Flex | Pay with HSA/FSA" option is selected
Final decisions about HSA / FSA eligibility are made by your plan administrator, so it’s important to verify eligibility before purchasing. But following a few best practices can help ensure that you are able to maximize the value of your HSA / FSA account in support of your breast milk journey.Â
Understanding HSA and FSA Accounts
Before you can leverage these benefits, it's essential to understand what HSA and FSA accounts are and how they can serve you.
What is an HSA?
A Health Savings Account (HSA) is a tax-advantaged savings account available to individuals enrolled in high-deductible health plans (HDHPs).
- Triple Tax Benefit: Contributions are tax-deductible, earnings grow tax-free, and withdrawals for qualified medical expenses are tax-free.
- Roll-Over Funds: Unused funds roll over year to year, accumulating over time.
- Portability: The account stays with you, even if you change employers.
What is an FSA?
A Flexible Spending Account (FSA) allows you to set aside pre-tax dollars to pay for eligible healthcare expenses.
- Immediate Availability: The full annual contribution is available at the start of the plan year.
- Use-It-or-Lose-It: Funds typically must be used within the plan year, though some plans offer a grace period.
Benefits of Having an HSA or FSA
- Tax Savings: Reduce your taxable income.
- Budgeting: Set aside money specifically for healthcare expenses.
- Financial Flexibility: Cover unexpected medical costs without financial strain.
Key Dates and How to Sign Up During Open Enrollment
Open enrollment is the annual period when you can enroll in or make changes to your health insurance plan, including setting up an HSA or FSA.
Important Dates
- Open Enrollment Period: Typically runs from November 1st to December 15th for plans starting January 1st.
- Employer-Specific Dates: Check with your HR department, as some employers may have different enrollment windows.
How to Sign Up
- Review Your Options: Assess your healthcare needs and determine whether an HSA or FSA suits you best.
- Enroll Through Employer: Most HSAs and FSAs are offered through employer-sponsored health plans.
- Set Contribution Amounts: Decide how much pre-tax income you want to allocate for the year.
- Complete Necessary Paperwork: Fill out any required forms to establish your account.
Don't Miss Out
- Mark Your Calendar: Set reminders for deadlines such as enrollment and the final day to use FSA funds
- Consult HR: If you have questions, your HR department can provide guidance.
- Plan Ahead: Consider upcoming medical expenses to maximize your contributions.
To learn more about HSA and FSA reimbursements, check out this blog post from our partners at Flex.
Take Action Now for a Healthier Future
With open enrollment upon us, now is the perfect time to make decisions that will benefit your family's health and financial well-being. By utilizing your HSA or FSA accounts, you can take full advantage of Milkify's breast milk freeze-drying service, ensuring your baby has access to nutrient-rich breast milk whenever needed.
Why Choose Milkify?
- Trusted Service: Professional handling and processing of your breast milk.
- HSA/FSA Eligible: Convenient payment options to utilize your health benefits through Flex
- Peace of Mind: Extend the life of your breast milk without sacrificing quality.
Ready to Enhance Your Breastfeeding Journey?
Don't let your hard-earned breast milk go to waste. Extend its shelf life and convenience with Milkify, and make the most of your HSA/FSA benefits this open enrollment season. If you have questions, reach out to our team at info@milkify.me or call us at 832-534-0465.
Disclaimer: This blog post is for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical or financial advice. Please consult with a healthcare provider or financial advisor for personalized guidance.
