Low-income parents and caregivers in Delaware and Tennessee are getting a lifeline to help reduce one of the most common medical conditions in babies: diaper rash. Both states have received federal approval to provide free diapers through their Medicaid programs, according to federal and state officials.
Under TennCare, Tennessee’s Medicaid program, parents and legal guardians can pick up up to 100 diapers per month for children under 2 at participating pharmacies starting in August, officials said of Tennessee.
“For infants and young children, a key benefit of an adequate supply of diapers is the prevention of diaper rash, also known as diaper rash, and urinary tract infections,” the Week said. lastly the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in a letter of approval addressed to Tennessee.
The federal agency also approved a similar Medicaid program in Delaware that will provide up to 80 diapers and one package of baby wipes per week to parents for the first 12 weeks after a child’s birth. CMS said the state can use Medicaid funding to extend the program for five more years.
“Access to enough diapers also provides health benefits for parents, as the need for diapers is associated with maternal depression and stress,” a Delaware Health and Human Services spokesperson told l ‘Associated Press in an email.
The cost of diapers
An infant needs a dozen diapers a day, at a cost of $80 to $100 or more per month, according to the National Diaper Bank Network, an advocacy group. The cost of diapers can equate to 8% of a person’s income if they earn the federal minimum wage, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services noted.
Meanwhile, parents who don’t have enough diapers can’t drop their children off at daycare, hampering their ability to work.
Tennessee’s request to the federal agency came from an initiative backed by Gov. Bill Lee in 2023, which led lawmakers to approve $30 million in TennCare funding for free diapers.
“We are the first state in the country to cover the cost of diapers for mothers during the first two years of a child’s life, and we hope this will serve as a model for others,” said Lee, a Republican , in a press release Wednesday.
Over the years, Tennessee has built a reputation for being willing to reject federal funding for those who are struggling or living in poverty. The state announced in January that it would decline nearly $9 million in federal funding to prevent and treat HIV, with Lee saying Tennessee did not want to face the strings attached to accepting federal funds.
—The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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