How much does banked milk cost and who pays for it?
A. Donors are not paid for their milk. Milk banks pay for donor blood tests, processing and shipping of milk to the bank. Processing fees of about $4.50/oz for banked milk, plus shipping, help to cover those expenses. At this time, insurance companies in New England do not routinely cover banked milk. However, sometimes they cover the milk on a case by case basis. Mothers’ Milk Bank of New England is working to establish a milk money fund that will insure Donor Milk is available to hospitalized ill or premature babies in need regardless of a family’s ability to pay for milk.
