Delaware, Tennessee to offer free diapers for Medicaid families

According to TennCare, Tennessee’s Medicaid program, families will be able to receive up to 100 diapers per month for children under two starting in August — which will be available at TennCare pharmacies.

The request stemmed from an initiative backed by Republican Gov. Bill Lee in 2023 designed to support families, for which lawmakers approved allocating $30 million in TennCare funding for the free diapers.

“Strong families are central to strong communities, and Tennessee is leading the nation in prioritizing resources for families in need,” Lee said in a statement on Wednesday. “We are the first state in the nation to cover the cost of diapers for mothers in the first two years of a child’s life, and we hope this is a model for others.”

In Delaware, individuals will be allowed to receive up to 80 diapers and up to one pack of baby wipes per week in the first twelve weeks postpartum. CMS agreed the state could use Medicaid funding to extend the program another five years.

“Access to sufficient diapers offers health benefits to the parent, as well, as diaper need is associated with maternal depression and stress,” said Martha Lodge, spokesperson for the Delaware Health and Social Services in an email.

Along with approving the diaper benefit, CMS approved increasing TennCare’s income limit for parents to 100% of poverty. Previously, Tennessee’s income eligibility was set at specific monthly amounts rather than being connected to the federal poverty level.

This has meant a parent in a household of three used to face an income limit of about $1,600 a month. Under the new changes, the income limit jumps to about $2,000 a month.