Anyone who has raised a child knows how relentless the need for diapers (and their cost) can be during those early years.
The new TennCare III amendment means some Tennessee families could receive up to 100 free diapers per month starting in August.
TennCare, Tennessee’s Medicaid program, provides health insurance coverage to more than 1.6 million low-income Tennesseans, according to the Division of TennCare.
A new amendment approved May 17 by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is part of Governor Bill Lee’s Strong Families Initiative. Starting June 1, more parents and caregivers qualify for TennCare due to the amendment.
Starting in August, qualifying families will also have the costs covered for up to 100 free diapers per month. TennCare will be the first Medicaid agency in the U.S. to offer this benefit to children under age 2, according to a state news release.
How to get free diapers through TennCare
As May ended, details were still being finalized and there is no clear answer on how qualifying families will be able to access the free diapers. More information will be provided “once the initiative is ready to launch,” according to the statement.
Who is eligible to receive free diapers?
The diaper benefit will be available to TennCare and CoverKids members under 2 years old.
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Who qualifies for TennCare?
According to TennCare, people who may qualify include:
- Adults with disabilities
- People under 21 years of age
- Parents or caregivers of minors
- old people
- Those receiving treatment for breast or cervical cancer.
- Those who are pregnant
Income and resources must be within a certain limit, depending on which of these groups the applicant belongs to. Applications for TennCare can be submitted at any time. More information can be found at tn.gov/tenncare.
For help with the application, call 855-259-0701 or visit your local Department of Human Services office. The Knoxville DHS office is at 2700 Middlebrook Pike, Suite 200.
Who qualifies for CoverKids?
CoverKids provides health insurance to qualified children and pregnant people who are not eligible for TennCare.
A child may qualify for CoverKids if:
- He is a resident of Tennessee
- They are under 19 years of age at the time of application.
- Are they US citizens or qualified non-citizens?
- You are not eligible for or enrolled in TennCare
- Have a family income at or below 250% of the federal poverty level
Someone who is pregnant may qualify for CoverKids coverage if:
- He is a resident of Tennessee
- You are not eligible for or enrolled in TennCare
- Have a family income at or below 250% of the federal poverty level
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How can I get free diapers if I don’t qualify for TennCare or CoverKids?
Families may find themselves on the brink of benefits, unable to afford diapers but also not qualifying for TennCare or CoverKids.
How to get help with diapers before August, or if 100 diapers a month is not enough? Knoxville nonprofit Helping Mamas can help close the gap.
Helping Mamas connects families across East Tennessee with free and needed baby products, including diapers. To receive diapers from Helping Mamas, complete the help application at tennessee.helpingmamas.org. The organization will connect you with one of more than 70 partner organizations that can provide resources.
Why are free diapers important?
Lack of access to diapers can help perpetuate the cycle of poverty. Without diapers, babies and children can’t go to daycare, said Tess Frear, executive director of Helping Mamas.
Parents and caregivers can’t go to work when that happens. Nationally, three in five parents miss work or school to care for their children because they can’t afford diapers, she said.
Frear is thrilled with the new benefit, but knows she won’t be able to fully meet demand.
“Insecurity is not going to disappear,” he said. “We see that every year we distribute more and more diapers.”
SNKeynoteUSA and WIC cannot be used to purchase diapers, according to the National Diaper Bank Network, so diaper banks like Helping Mamas play a critical role in providing this resource to low-income families.
Frear is proud to see Tennessee as the first state to pioneer a new option.
“I think it just shows that we care about our families,” he said.
Hayden Dunbar is the narrator reporter. Email hayden.dunbar@knoxnews.com.
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