New moms can soon get free diapers with this TennCare benefit. Here's why.

Vivian Jones, Nashville Tennessean
·2 min read

A proposal to provide free diapers to Tennessee families on the state’s Medicaid program — the first such benefit of its kind in the country — has received federal approval and is expected to become available late this summer, the Division of TennCare announced Monday.

Nearly a year after Tennessee submitted a proposal for the new TennCare benefit, the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services approved the benefit. Infants and toddlers who are covered by TennCare or CoverKids will soon have access to up to 100 diapers per month — about half an infant’s monthly need — at no cost for the first two years of life.

Gov. Bill Lee proposed the benefit last year as a “pro-life” and “pro-family” way to use the $330 million in savings from the state’s new Medicaid block grant funding structure. Lawmakers approved $30 million in funding for the diaper benefit during the 2023 legislative session.

Diaper Connection employee and volunteer recruiter Renee Watkins carries diapers to be packaged at the Nashville Diaper Connection warehouse Monday, May 15, 2023, in Nashville, Tenn. Tennessee will soon become the first state in the nation to offer two years of free diapers to low-income mothers on TennCare, the state’s Medicaid program. Funding for the program was included in Gov. Bill Lee’s budget for the fiscal year starting July 1. The Nashville Diaper Connection is a nonprofit that has been working to provide free diapers to help families before the state funding was available.

"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 to The Tennessean. "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."

With federal approval, TennCare can begin finalizing key details of the plan and working toward implementing the new benefit. A variety of diaper brands will be covered by the benefit to allow parents to choose the best fit for their child, and account for skin sensitivities and other needs.

The benefit is expected to become available to TennCare members in August. Fulfillment will be handled through existing TennCare pharmacies.

“We are excited to get this approval and be able to now focus on full implementation," TennCare Director Stephen Smith told The Tennessean. "We are confident this unique benefit will further our mission of improving lives through high-quality, cost-effective care.”

More: 'You can’t buy diapers with food stamps': How a new program aims to help low-income mothers

Unlike food, diapers are not targeted by any in-kind federal assistance program — no food stamps or WIC benefits cover them. About one in three families in Middle Tennessee struggle to provide the diapers their infants need, according to the Nashville Diaper Connection, a nonprofit that serves about 4,500 families in 17 Middle Tennessee counties each month.

Without enough diapers to keep a baby clean and dry, infants are at higher risk for diaper dermatitis and urinary tract infections. Also, most daycare facilities require parents to provide a day’s worth of diapers for their child – which poses a significant burden to families facing financial insecurity.

Vivian Jones covers state government and politics for The Tennessean. Reach her at vjones@tennessean.com or on X at @Vivian_E_Jones.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Free diapers for TennCare families approved by federal agency