Evaluation of Tennessee’s Medicaid Diaper Benefit Expansion

Publication Date

2026

College

College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences

Department

Public Health, Department of

Student Level

Undergraduate

Faculty Mentor

Dr. Laurie Gavilo-Lane

Presentation Type

Article

Summary

Diaper insecurity, or the inability to afford enough diapers to keep a child clean, dry, and healthy, is increasing among families across the United States. Between 2010 and 2017, diaper insecurity was steadily reported by about 33% of families, and by 2024, this number increased to 46% of families being unable to properly diaper their children (National Diaper Bank Network, 2025). Diaper shortages are correlated with increased rates of diaper dermatitis and urinary tract infections and may contribute to long-term health impacts including hypertension and renal failure (Sobowale et al., 2021). Poverty is a risk factor for diaper insecurity. In 2024, the national child poverty rate was 15.5% (Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth, n.d.), and households with reported annual incomes below $50,000 had 3.61 higher odds of reporting diaper need than higher-income households (OR = 3.61, 95% CI: 1.40–9.26) (Belarmino et al., 2022). Low-income families face extreme barriers to purchasing diapers as they remain ineligible to purchase with the Supplementary Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), leaving the most economically disadvantaged families to spend approximately 14% of their income on diapers (Massengale et al., 2022). Tennessee has become the first state to implement a government assistance diaper program through Medicaid/TennCare. The demonstration program allows medicaid recipients to receive up to 100 diapers each month until their child is two years old.

This document is currently not available here.

Share

COinS