Progress! IRS Allows Tax Exemptions for Breastfeeding Equipment

Last year, we brought you the news that the Internal Revenue Service wouldn't allow nursing mothers to use their tax-sheltered health care accounts to pay for breast pumps and breastfeeding supplies.  This was a shock to mothers and health advocates alike, who recognize the numerous benefits a baby gains through mom's breast milk.

The biggest insult, however, was the IRS' reason for denying the exemption -- it didn't believe that breastfeeding had "enough health benefits to qualify as a from of medical care."

That inspired many groups to fight back, including 920 Change.org users who signed a petition calling on Congress to pass legislation that would, among other things, provide tax relief for breastfeeding equipment.

And the IRS finally recognized their oversight last week, deciding to allow women to deduct the cost of breast pumps and other supplies and pay for them with their tax-sheltered health care accounts.

Leading the charge for this to happen was Representative Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), who wrote the "Breastfeeding Promotion Act" last year. The Act included numerous provisions to reduce barriers to lactation. Although the bill didn't make it through Congress, many of the provisions were included in health care reform.

But the IRS issue was one that hadn't yet been resolved. Maloney and other members of Congress were hoping to see the decision corrected.

Health Savings Accounts or Flexible Spending Accounts typically let enrollees set aside pre-tax money to pay for health-related expenses not covered by insurance such as contact lense fluid, denture glue, over-the-counter allergy medicine and the like. Now, women can use these accounts to pay for pads, pumps and other supplies, which can cost women up to $1,000 a year. And women with medical expenses greater than 7.5 percent of their income can deduct the cost from their taxes.

There has been a major push to encourage more women to breastfeed, including the Department of Health and Human Services' recent "Call to Action to Support Breastfeeding," which aims to increase the percentage of women that exclusively breastfeed for the first six months. The Call to Action notes the numerous benefits of breastfeeding -- it can pass along mom's antibodies, imparting important immune defenses that can prevent sickness and even death in newborns. It's the most complete form of nutrition for a baby, far exceeding formula. And breastfeeding may even help mom's health; research indicates that women who breastfeed may have lower rates of certain breast and ovarian cancers.

Cultural, social and institutional barriers often prevent women from breastfeeding, but this move by the IRS acknowledges its importance and makes it a little easier for women to make the healthy choice.

Photo credit: planet_oleary