TENNESSEE NOW FIRST STATE IN U.S. TO SUPPORT PARENT WITH FREE DIAPERS

A typical American who has insurance pays about $2,854 for childbirth. In the absence of insurance, the price soars to $18,865. The cost of raising a child starts with labour and goes up from there. In actuality, one of the largest bills for parents is diapers. Parents will spend about $80 a month or more to keep their little bundles of joy happy and healthy for at least the first 24 months of their lives. Fortunately, assistance is on the way for Tennessee parents.

Beginning in August 2024, families enrolled in TennCare, Tennessee's Medicaid program, will receive 100 diapers per month for children under two thanks to recently approved federal funding. More families will be able to utilise TennCare as a result of an increase in the maximum income threshold. Tennessee will be the first state in the nation to directly supply the supplies to the 53% of children in the state who depend on TennCare coverage for insurance, even though other states have funded diaper banks. 

The National Diaper Bank Network reports that half of the country's parents find it difficult to purchase enough diapers. Insufficient supply can cause depression in the parents as well as rashes and infections in the infant. It affects the parents' capacity to work as well. Daycare centres won't accept kids for the day if there aren't enough diapers available. Due to a lack of childcare options, 25% of American parents with unmet diaper needs had to miss an average of five days of work last month.

Although a third of what young babies usually go through in a month will be covered by the 100 diapers, this is still a positive step in a state that frequently rejects other government-funded social programs. Additionally, the fact that this law has bipartisan support makes it exceptional. Hopefully, it will encourage more states to offer these desperately needed resources to low-income families. Delaware has also approved the provision of 80 diapers per week for the first three months of an infant's life, in addition to Tennessee's diaper decree.

Diaper banks will continue to be required to bridge the gap between government assistance and the demand for diapers, even as these programs will assist the growing number of families who are struggling to meet their basic needs due to low wages and high living expenses. However, parents will find it easier to fall asleep and perhaps even achieve that elusive full night's sleep thanks to these government-run programs.