Question 1

What's a PDF?

Accepted Answer

"PDF" is an acronym for Portable Document Format, created by the Adobe software company in 1993 as a standardized way to "lock in" document style and content so it doesn't change when viewed on various devices and platforms, software, hardware, or operating systems. It was released as an open standard in 2008 and is now maintained by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). LactForms use the PDF document format so they're easy to use and share without changing style, format, or layout. More info about PDFs from Adobe

Question 2

Which LC certifications/credentials are LactForms designed for?

Accepted Answer

Previous versions of LactForms were designed for exclusive use by IBCLCs as the gold-standard credential for clinical care beyond the normal course of breastfeeding, reflecting the extensive lactation education and training required for that certification. As an IBCLC myself, I've worked earnestly over my two decades of practice to protect and respect the IBCLC credential. At the same time, I've always wholeheartedly supported other professional lactation credentials, such as Certified Lactation Consultant (CLC), Certified Breastfeeding Specialist (CBS), Breastfeeding Support Specialists (BSS), Lactation Educators (LE), etc, because they're a very important part of the breastfeeding support network and often the only resource in rural areas. But as more credentials are developed, their scopes of practice seem to increasingly overlap and blur. Over the years, I've had many requests for forms appropriate for use by other credentials. So I began revising the Charting forms for less clinically technical expertise, but as I tried to tease out what was appropriate only for IBCLCs, I quickly got bogged down into endless conflicting opinions online about the different scopes of practice and never found clear guidelines delineating them despite hours of research. Then I realized that medical forms are sold all over the internet with little if any screening for use according to credential. If you need the form, it's assumed you're qualified to use it. If you're not, it's not the responsibility of the form developer. So after many months trying my best to sort it out, I finally concluded the only solution was opening my forms to all LC certifications. This means that all Lactforms are now deemed appropriate for use by any "Lactation Consultant" with any certification. If you need my forms, I assume you're qualified to use them. Your scope of practice is up to you. :)This is my approach for now but I'm open to input! Let me know if you have any ideas or feedback for the development process. I always appreciate hearing what you think.See here for one explanation of scope-of-practice differences among lactation credentials

Question 3

Is it better to use a subscription forms service or purchase my own forms?

Accepted Answer

A huge benefit of LactForms is they're stand-alone PDF documents that you'll own and keep on your own device. No ongoing cost, no subscription, no complicated platform to navigate, and free upgrades. Plus I'm here to help if you need any professional guidance in using them or run into any difficulties along the way.

Question 4

What is the cost for upgrades of forms I already purchased?

Accepted Answer

They're FREE! Your purchase of LactForms Superbills includes free version upgrades! When each new update/upgrade is uploaded to the LactForms website, you'll get an automatic email with a link to download the new version. If you didn't get it, just reach out if you need the latest version.

Question 5

How much do I need to know to fill out the LactForms?

Accepted Answer

As a qualified professional lactation consultant, you should be able to understand all of the information on the forms. The superbills are more complicated, but they come with detailed instructions.My goal in designing each LactForm is to make each form intuitive and easy to use. You shouldn't have big learning curve, but if you run into anything that's not clear, I'm here to help, including free video tutoring if needed.

Question 6

Why are LactForms gender neutral?

Accepted Answer

These terminology changes were made several versions ago to encompass the wide range of lactation clients/patients. It isn’t political at all, merely practical. The term “parent” is a broader descriptor encompassing all parents providing human milk to their child, such as fathers caring for a baby whose biological mother is incapacitated or absent (for any number of reasons), adoptive fathers, and parents who don’t identify as female. The term “child” is better descriptor since some children needing lactation services are older and no longer infants or babies. If you prefer a version of the Superbills with the traditional “mother” and “baby” terminology, just let me know and they can be provided at no additional charge.

Question 7

Are LactForms available in other languages?

Accepted Answer

I've had many requests for translations of my Charting forms into other languages so LCs can use them in more areas around the world. (Superbills are US-only, so other languages aren't usually needed.)I'm currently looking for LCs fluent in other languages since it takes an understanding of lactation terminology. In return, I'm offering a complimentary complete set of my forms in the format and color you prefer, including a custom header. I've had a great initial response to this call for translations, with these already underway:GermanGreekHebrewHungarianMandarin Simplified ChinesePortugueseSpanish (Latin American)Spanish (European)If you're lactation-fluent in any other language and might be interested in translating, let me know so we can discuss what's entailed!  If you're interested in purchasing LactForms in another language, please reach out so I let you know when they're ready for purchase.

Question 8

Can the forms be changed or edited?

Accepted Answer

(This refers to editing the actual forms, not entering data in the fillable forms)No, all LactForms are secured (locked) and can't be changed or edited because they're copyrighted and my intellectual property. But custom edits are possible upon request for a modest fee.

Question 9

Can I share the LactForms I purchase with my colleagues?

Accepted Answer

It depends. You MAY share LactForms inside your own practice. But you absolutely MAY NOT share them with any colleague outside of your practice.All forms purchased on LactForms.com required acceptance of the LactForms Use Agreement, stating that "...your purchase entitles you to the use of said material exclusively for your sole professional use." Around the world and especially in the US, it's illegal to share single-user digital products.

Question 10

Is there a free trial to see if the forms will work for me?

Accepted Answer

Thanks so much for your interest in LactForms! Trials aren't feasible since it's impossible​ to return a PDF, but you can see each of the forms in detail online before you purchase them and I'm always happy to help if you have any questions or concerns.

Question 11

Why does the product page show one cost, but when I select to purchase the price increases to a higher cost?

Accepted Answer

It's because the forms pricing shows the range of prices for the forms, which depend on the options selected, such as printable or fillable.I'm sorry this is confusing (I haven't found a better way yet to show the pricing more clearly but please let me know if you have any suggestions!).

Question 12

How do I get the forms I purchased?

Accepted Answer

1) When your order has been processed successfully, you'll get an order confirmation page with the download link(s). An email will follow soon after with the download link(s).Click the link(s) and save the file(s) on your device or cloud service.2) Next, find the file on your device or cloud service and right click on the file name to see options to unzip. (If you're using a Mac, there might be another way to see the options.) To unzip, click "Extract All" (or whatever's similar) to extract the file to the folder where you'll be using it. If you don't see a way to unzip, you can download this safe, free program used widely around the world. 3) After the file is extracted and opened, the first thing to do is click on the header space to edit it with your contact information and/or images. Then save the file with a different name and your form will always come up with the edited header in place. After that, your form will be ready to go—email to clients or print it out for hardcopy use.  All LactForms fillable forms and superbills come with detailed instructions that should help with any questions but let me know if you need more details. Always happy to help!

Question 13

Why haven't I received my order?

Accepted Answer

All LactForms purchases are delivered by email with a link to download your forms. If you haven't received your order confirmation email with the download link, check your spam and trash folders. If it still hasn't arrived within a half hour or so, please reach out to me and I'll send your order manually.Custom design services are not instantly downloadable because they require time to create the design. After filling out the corresponding form for the design service (see the link in the product description), you should get an email in 1-3 days with the first image proof to review. Feel free to reach out if you haven't received an email after 3-4 days.

Question 14

How do I use fillable LactForms?

Accepted Answer

Our fillable forms are designed to work with any PDF reader app/program or browsers with the free Adobe Acrobat Reader plugin (extension). See here for detailed instructions﻿

Question 15

My fillable form isn't working

Accepted Answer

LactForms fillable format forms are designed for easy electronic (digital) use on a computer, tablet, or smartphone using any PDF app. But if you're not working correctly, this page should help. If it doesn't, please reach out to me for troubleshooting. I'm very happy to help!

Question 16

What are the buttons for?

Accepted Answer

In the upper right-hand corner of all fillable LactForms Version 7.0 and later, you’ll see two handy buttons: “Clear All Fields” clears every entry in the form and resets it. (Use with caution—if a form with entries hasn’t been saved, those entries will be permanently deleted.) “PRINT” opens the print dialogue window to print a hardcopy with current entries. It can also save the form as a PDF (shortcut for the “Print Save as” command in the main menu).  On some forms, there are additional separate buttons to clear (reset) only specific sections. See here for more info﻿

Question 17

My client/patient says the fillable form isn't working, what should I tell them?

Accepted Answer

LactForms fillable format forms are designed for easy electronic (digital) use on a computer, tablet, or smartphone using any PDF app. But if your client/patient has any trouble using them, this page should help. If it doesn't, please reach out to me for troubleshooting. I'm very happy to help!

Question 18

What's your return policy?

Accepted Answer

Since it's impossible to truly return electronic media, all purchases of LactForms products are final. But I never want anyone to feel dissatisfied with their purchase. Please contact me right away about any problem and I'll do everything I can to fix it or make things right.

Question 19

Can I exchange a purchased form?

Accepted Answer

Since it's impossible to exchange electronic media after it's been downloaded, all purchases of LactForms products are final. Exchanges aren't possible, except for changing the header type, which I'm always happy to do.I never want anyone to feel dissatisfied with their purchase, so please contact me right away about any problem and I'll do everything I can to fix it or make things right.

Question 20

What is HIPAA?

Accepted Answer

The Healthcare Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is a United States federal law protecting the ELECTRONIC recording, transmission, and storage of any Patient Health Information (PHI), such as name, address, phone number, Social Security number, medical records, financial information, and full face photos by healthcare providers (and other entities). HIPAA is managed by the Department of Health and Human Services and the Office for Civil Rights.  See this page for more info

Question 21

Are LactForms HIPAA compliant?

Accepted Answer

HIPAA doesn't apply to forms themselves. It's how healthcare providers like lactation consultants USE the forms that matters for HIPAA compliance.See this page for more detailed information about lactation consultant HIPAA compliance﻿

Question 22

What is the header on LactForms?

Accepted Answer

LactForm Headers are the designated section at the top of each form with fillable fields (even on Printable versions) to add your professional contact and company information. All LactForms include one of four Header types (HeaderBox, HeaderCenter, HeaderCompany, and HeaderLogo). After entering your information (text and/or image), the form can be saved with a different filename to create a template for ongoing use.  The fillable field highlights will not show on a hardcopy printed page.  See here for more info﻿

Question 23

Why aren't the HeaderCompany and HeaderLogo header fields lined up on the left?

Accepted Answer

It only looks jagged (misaligned) on the left margin because different font sizes cause the fields to line up differently, so the field position is adjusted to accommodate for the different font sizes. When displayed or printed, they'll line up perfectly.

Question 24

How do I add my header to my LactForms?

Accepted Answer

LactForms Headers use fillable fields to add text or an image with your professional information. The form can then be saved with a different filename to create a template with your personalized Header for ongoing use. The fillable fields highlights will not show on a hardcopy printed page. See How to Add Your Header and Using Fillable Forms for more help

Question 25

What size image is needed for the LactForms with the HeaderBox header?

Accepted Answer

Specs for creating a header image to add to your forms with the HeaderBox header:• 1” (2.54cm) high x 6.5” (16.51cm) wide• At least 600 dpi resolution (to avoid fussiness)• Image format .png works well, but also .jpg, .tif/.tiff, .bmp, etc.

Question 26

Why does it "ding" when I enter text in the header?

Accepted Answer

If your computer or device “dings” (makes an error sound) when entering text into the header, it’s usually because there is more text in the field than there is space for, so just delete or abbreviate some text.

Question 27

How do I change my custom header?

Accepted Answer

Any custom header created by Diana at LactForms can be updated for a small fee. Just purchase the header change service and let me know what needs to be changed by sending a message or filling out the form again.

Question 28

Can business name be different from legal name?

Accepted Answer

Yes! Your officially registered business name is your legal name, which can be different from your trade name. It's common and widely-accepted practice to use a "DBA" (Doing Business As) company name on branding that's different from your legal name. For example, Walmart's legal name is "Wal-Mart Inc" and their trade name is "Walmart." Here's a good article explaining this issue﻿

Question 29

Does my address have to be listed on the header?

Accepted Answer

If you DON'T provide Superbills, you don't need to include an address on your header. If you DO provide Superbills, you DO need to include an address on your header. If it's not there, insurance companies will call you for the information for every claim, which gets old fast (speaking from experience lol).  If you don’t have an office and aren’t comfortable sharing your home address, you can use a US post office (PO) box (that you’ll need to check periodically), the address of a private mailbox service (may forward and be less expensive), or a virtual mailbox.

Question 30

Do I need an NPI number for my header and how do I get one?

Accepted Answer

Yes, if you're a practicing as a professional lactation consultant, no matter what your certification is (IBCLC, CLC, etc), you're a professional healthcare provider and MUST HAVE a National Provider Identifier (NPI) number. An NPI number is a 10-digit unique identification number for professional healthcare providers, including all professional lactation consultants who see patients/clients, no matter what their certification is, for use in their administrative and financial transactions (such as billing insurance companies and/or providing superbills to patients/clients for insurance reimbursement).An NPI number doesn’t have information about you, like the state where you practice, your provider type, or your specialization. Your NPI won’t change, even if your name, address, taxonomy, or other information changes.NPI InformationHelpful PDF with step-by-step instructionsApply for your free NPI numberCodes to use to apply for an NPI number (not the actual NPI number):• Non-RN certified lactation consultant (IBCLC, CLC, and others): use code 174N00000X• RN, IBCLC: use code 163WL0100X• Other credentials: search the NPI taxonomy directory﻿

Question 31

Can CLCs qualify for NPI numbers?

Accepted Answer

Yes, as far as I understand, any "lactation consultant" qualifies under code 163WL0100X, without regard to the type of certification (those who also have other certifications such as RN may use different codes). According to the Academy of Lactation Policy and Practice which trains and certifies CLCs, they are health care providers because they are members of the health care team and manage HIPAA data. It does not matter if they work for a company, medical practice, or in their own private practice. Where to apply for an NPI number How to apply for an NPI number﻿

Question 32

Is a tax number required on my header?

Accepted Answer

Many LCs setting up a new practice are concerned about listing a tax number on their form headers. Whether or not it's needed depends on where you are located and which forms the header will be used for:Practicing INSIDE the US: If you're practicing inside the US, you only need to include tax information on the header if you also provide superbills (see below).Practicing OUTSIDE the US: If you're practicing outside the US, you probably don't need to include tax information on the header.No Superbills: If you don't provide Superbills to your clients, you do not need to include your tax number on your header.Provide Superbills: If you don't bill insurance directly and provide Superbills to your clients so they can get reimbursed through their insurance for the fees paid to you, including a tax number on the Superbill header will save you a lot of time and headaches. TAX NUMBER OPTIONSOption 1—Use your own Social Security Number: If you're practicing inside the US and you're a sole proprietor (haven't created an LLC or other corporate entity), you can use your own Social Security Number. There's a risk of identity theft, but it's probably not very high. To minimize the risk, you can disguise the number in a different format by changing the structure. Instead of the 123-45-6789 format, just use the 12-3456789 format.  Option 2—Use a free federal Employer Identification Number (EIN): Any business owner in the United States can apply for a free EIN (also known as a federal tax identification number) whether or not they have employees.

Question 33

Are "http://" and "www" necessary in website addresses?

Accepted Answer

Heavens, no! :) Today's modern browsers know to automatically add in the "http://" and "www" part of website addresses. Leaving those parts out looks more up-to-date and easier to read.

Question 34

Does capitalization matter in website (URL) addresses?

Accepted Answer

Capitalization in website addresses doesn't matter in the FIRST part of the URL, up to the .com (or .co, .tv, .biz, etc). But anything AFTER the ".com (or .whatever) part of the URL is case-sensitive. For example, you can list a URL as MyLactationConsultant.com/forms, capitalizing the "MyLactationConsultant" part, but everything after the .com (or whatever) should be exactly how it's formatted on the website (either upper or lower case).

Question 35

Does capitalization matter in email addresses?

Accepted Answer

Short answer: No, capitalization doesn't matter at all in email addresses.Longer explanation: Email addresses aren't case sensitive, so it doesn't matter at all if any letters are capitalized or not, especially the first part BEFORE the @ sign (LucySmithLactation@). It's probably best to keep the domain name after the @ sign (@gmail.com) all lower case because that matters to a small portion of email servers around the world.  I recommend capitalizing the first letter of the person's or company's name because it can be a whole lot easier to read correctly when a person (parent) is in a rush or sleep-deprived. Compare these:LucySmithLactation@gmail.comlucysmithlactation@gmail.com When people retype it into an email, they'll probably type it all lower case anyway. Bottom-line, it really doesn't matter.

Question 36

What is a Superbill?

Accepted Answer

Superbills are medical receipts given to clients/patients in the US to file with their insurance company for reimbursement after first paying the provider directly. As a healthcare professional, it's always important to give your clients/patients a receipt after they've paid for your services, especially when you aren't a provider with their healthcare insurance. LactForms Superbills make this easy with ICD-10 diagnostic codes and CPT billing codes most likely to be reimbursed (directly to the client because they already paid you). They guide you through the coding process with just a few clicks or checkmarks (depending on whether you're using the fillable or printable versions). See here for more info﻿

Question 37

Why are there separate superbills for the parent and child?

Accepted Answer

When the IBCLC field began in the 1990s, combined superbills covering both the parent and child were fairly common. In recent years, though, most US insurance companies began requiring a separate superbill for each patient, parent and child, to cleanly bill for services to each person. It does make sense: no other medical profession treats two people as a combined unit. If the company comes back asking for a combined bill, you can always redo the bill for the parent or child putting all the charges on one or the other.

Question 38

Should I provide separate Superbills for multiple babies or multiple lactating parents?

Accepted Answer

Yes! Complete a separate Superbill for each person who has a consultation (visit) with you, including the parent and every baby! If the partner is also lactating and feeding the baby, a Superbill can be completed and submitted for them, as well.

Question 39

Can I bill on my own or do I have to bill under a doctor?

Accepted Answer

If you have your own practice, you can often sign up with insurance companies for direct billing. IBCLCs and some with other credentials such as CLC are accepted as qualified providers by many companies even without being an RN or having other credentials.  If you're working in a doctor's practice, they can probably handle the billing.

Question 40

Can CLCs bill insurance or provide superbills?

Accepted Answer

Yes! Many CLCs practicing as professional lactation consultants in the Unites States accept healthcare insurance and are recognized by healthcare insurance companies as professional lactation consultants. On this page on the ALPP site it says:The credentialing process for insurance companies is separate from professional credentialing. It refers to the insurance company accepting care providers whom they will reimburse. Insurers establish their own rules about whom they credential, which is challenging for individual providers who have to deal with each insurer separately. From what I've seen from other CLC practices (at least in the United States), being a credentialed lactation consultant is all that matters since there's no legal definition of "lactation consultant" in our country, except in states where IBCLCs have licensure.

Question 41

Do insurance companies need superbills for both the parent and child?

Accepted Answer

Yes and no—it depends on who you provided LC consultation services directly for. If the consultation included both the parent and child, the parent will need both a parent and a child superbill because insurance companies require superbill receipts for each person the insurance claim is filed for. If you only see one or the other, the insurance company only needs a superbill for that person (parent or child).

Question 42

Is there a difference in insurance billing for an RN vs IBCLC?

Accepted Answer

Insurance companies assign rates for each CPT billing code, which aren't affected by the Lactation Consultant's credential. When possible, RNs should select the CPT codes for Skilled RNs (as noted on LactForms Superbills) for higher rates.

Question 43

What date should be used for "Date Issue First Began?"

Accepted Answer

Whether parent or child, use the date the baby was born if there’s no obvious start date. For a prenatal visit, it makes more sense to use either the date of the consultation OR 8.5 months before her due date (when the pregnancy began).

Question 44

Which ICD-10 and CPT codes are on the Superbills?

Accepted Answer

They will be clearly visible on the actual Superbills downloaded after the purchase has completed, but they can't be shown on the sample images to protect the LactForms' copyright and intellectual property.

Question 45

What if I need a different ICD-10 or CPT code?

Accepted Answer

No problem! There are two spaces for entering additional ICD-10 codes on both the parent and child Superbills. There is space to add different CPT codes on the child Superbill in each Evaluation & Management location, but there wasn't room on the parent Superbill for extra Evaluation & Management CPT codes. If you need a different Evaluation & Management CPT code for the parent Superbill, just reach out and I can create a custom version for you.

Question 46

Can a Lactation Consultant assign an ICD-10 diagnostic code if they don't have a credential that's allowed to diagnose?

Accepted Answer

Making a diagnosis is generally appropriate only for advanced-level healthcare providers (nurse practioners, physician assistants, and physicians), BUT “diagnosis” for ICD-10 coding is NOT an official diagnosis. It merely identifies your ASSESSMENT of the lactation condition, which IS within the practice scope of professional certified Lactation Consultants, such as IBCLCs and CLCs.

Question 47

How do I choose the CPT code complexity level for time spent?

Accepted Answer

The time associated with each lactation service CPT code is set by the US government, generally arbitrary, and usually does not reflect the true total time spent by most lactation consultations. But it does include ALL time spent to provide the service, including in-person with the client/patient AND work required before and after the visit (except travel time). For Evaluation & Management CPT codes, this includes the initial intake and preparation before the appointment, taking their history, examination, time required for evaluation, and writing any report. Lactation Education time includes preparation beforehand and the actual time spent teaching. Select the time that best matches the actual amount of time spent for your professional qualification (codes only for registered nurses and doctors are indicated in their description), keeping in mind that bold codes are most likely to be reimbursed by insurance companies.

Question 48

As an RN, should I choose CPT codes for Skilled RN instead or in addition to low, moderate, high, or very high complexity leve?

Accepted Answer

Only one CPT code can be selected. Since RNs are usually billed at higher rates than IBCLCs, your clients/patients will usually receive more reimbursement for Skilled RN CPT codes.

Question 49

How should I divide my total consultation fee between the parent and child?

Accepted Answer

Unless you spent considerably more time with the parent or the child, it’s usually easiest to split your consultation fee equally when billing or filling out Superbills. If your time wasn’t evenly spent, you can divide it proportionally. For example, if about ¾ of the time was spent on the child, the child billing would reflect 75% of the total fee and the parent billing would designate the remaining 25%. Of course, if you ONLY see the parent, then you only need to bill for them (or give them a parent Superbill), and likewise for the child. But there's no standard way it has to be done. It's really up to you, the circumstances of each case, and each insurance company's requirements.For breaking down your fee among the billing codes on each Superbill, the instructions that came with your purchase include detailed guidance that should make it easy. But always feel free to reach out if you need more help!

Question 50

Why aren't my clients/patients getting insurance reimbursements from my LactForms Superbills?

Accepted Answer

First, check that the Superbill version you're using is the latest version.Next, go through the Instructions document included in the zip file with your original Superbills purchase for guidance and tips for maximizing reimbursement. If your purchase was before August 15, 2024, you may not have the most recent Instructions version, so reach out and I'll be happy to send it to you.It also may help to call the most common insurance companies in your area and ask for their guidance on coding for maximum reimbursement (they can be surprisingly helpful).  I am always happy to review recent superbills provided to clients to ensure sure it's filled out to optimize reimbursement (with HIPAA-sensitive data redacted, of course).Ultimately, though, the problem may simply be the abysmal healthcare coverage for breastfeeding and lactation in the United States. Insurance companies in the US seem to avoid coverage in every way they can despite the Affordable Health Care (ACA) mandates. It's a huge problem and I wish I knew more ways to help our clients get better coverage. Please share any new information you learn so I can incorporate it into the LactForms Superbills to benefit other US clients.

Question 51

Why are the current Charting forms only offered in black and white but the other forms are in color?

Accepted Answer

The current Charting forms available on LactForms are an older version. The new, much improved version is in the final stages of development and will be launched soon. Then all purchasers of the current Charting forms version will get an automatic email with a link to download the new version at no cost.

Question 52

Is there an easy way to chart if the assessment is all normal instead of clicking normal/yes to each and every part of the assessment?

Accepted Answer

Smart question! I don't have anything built-in for that right now, but the defaults should all be set to the normal finding, so if you don't make any changes it should be that way already. If you find that any setting isn't that way, just let me know and I'll fix it!

Question 53

Why isn't there a space for wet diapers?

Accepted Answer

The reason there isn't a field for wet diapers is that urine output doesn't matter (isn't accurate) for estimating milk intake. It is not a reliable or accurate gauge of how much milk the baby has received. This is addressed in my Making More Milk book.

Question 54

How can LCs get paid fairly?

Accepted Answer

After their initial consultation appointment, clients/patients often reach out to their LC with numerous questions by text, email, or phone, but don't schedule follow-up appointments, so LCs end up spending considerable time providing care without fair reimbursement for their time and expertise. This scenario doesn't usually happen to other medical specialties because they aren't expected to offer free additional care. So the first step to fair compensation is to set aside the reality that most LCs are big-hearted people who often have trouble asking for fair payments. Remember that LCs are allied healthcare professionals and they deserve to be respected and compensated fairly like all other medical professionals.Next, establish a fee structure that fairly compensates you for ALL types of interactions. Then post your fees clearly on your website or even on a handout given to clients/patients at their first appointment.  Setting LC fees can be tricky but it's important to charge enough that you feel appropriately compensated for your time and expertise. If you're tempted to keep it low in consideration of your clients' finances, remember that breastfeeding saves them a LOT of money over formula. You became an LC only after extensive education, training, and skill development. You deserve fair compensation! Here are three fee strategies that have worked well for other LCs to make sure they are fairly paid for follow-up care:1) Setting your fees fairly for the all the work needed for consultations, which may be higher than what other consultants are charging in your area. People tend to value services by their costs, so setting your fees too low can imply your services aren't valuable. If you're worried about your fees being more than your clients/patients can afford, keep in mind how much they'll have to pay for formula if they can't breastfeed, and how much more they would expect to pay a repair person (like a plumber) for a service call, especially on short notice.2) One strategy that has worked for many LCs is setting their initial consultation fees high enough to include a certain number of follow-up visits (maybe 2-3).3) Setting a (firm!) policy of charging for follow-ups of ANY kind, including text, video, and phone. This is hard for many of us who come from the volunteer background, but ANY other healthcare professional expects to be paid fairly for additional visits and services.

Question 55

How should I divide my total consultation fee between the parent and child?

Accepted Answer

Unless you spent considerably more time with the parent or the child, it’s usually easiest to split your consultation fee equally when billing or filling out Superbills. If your time wasn’t evenly spent, you can divide it proportionally. For example, if about ¾ of the time was spent on the child, the child billing would reflect 75% of the total fee and the parent billing would designate the remaining 25%. Of course, if you ONLY see the parent, then you only need to bill for them (or give them a parent Superbill), and likewise for the child. But there's no standard way it has to be done. It's really up to you, the circumstances of each case, and each insurance company's requirements.For breaking down your fee among the billing codes on each Superbill, the instructions that came with your purchase include detailed guidance that should make it easy. But always feel free to reach out if you more help!

Question 56

How can I use forms to market my services?

Accepted Answer

Our LactForms Referral Script form is a highly effective marketing tool for marketing your services to local doctors and health care providers. Formatted like a prescription pad with your practice information as a header, it includes space for the parent and child’s names with checkboxes for common presenting issues. They're perfect for professionally printing into tear-off pads to hand out to your local pediatric and obstetric practices, and usually work much better than stacks of your business cards that often end up jumbled up with other specialists' cards in a forgotten area of provider offices. Experienced private-practice LCs have been using this marketing idea for decades now, often recommending it to colleagues as the main source of their doctor referrals and a quick way to increase business. Learn more

Question 57

I don't have a company logo. How can I get one?

Accepted Answer

Getting a unique logo for your business isn't difficult or expensive. There are many services that design logos or help you design them yourself, often for free. Here are some good ones:CanvaLogoDesign.netFreeLogoDesign.orgAdobe ExpressDesignHillDesignCrowd﻿I can also try my hand at creating one for you at a nominal fee, just reach out to ask.

Question 58

What about using a stock image as my company logo?

Accepted Answer

I strongly recommend NOT using a stock image for your logo. Even though it's a quick way to get a logo, it is always best to have a unique logo for your company. Here's why:Although there are many great stock images available to use as a logo, they can also be used by other companies (unless you pay the large fee for exclusive use). This can cause "brand confusion" if people see your logo at another LC business (even online) and think it's the same LC or company as yours. They may even wonder if you copied another company's logo or they copied yours, which can decrease their confidence in your integrity. Far better to create your own original logo. If that's not possible or you don't have the time to do it yet, it's better not to use a logo at all. They're important for branding, but not at the risk of brand confusion.

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