A Connecticut Democratic lawmaker is proposing a bill this session that would allow the state’s Medicaid program to cover the cost of diapers for some of the tens of thousands of children who qualify for the public health insurance program, Medicaid.
Rep. Jillian Gilchrest, D-West Hartford, held a press conference with advocates and leaders from several nonprofits Monday to promote her bill, which would allow Medicaid — known in Connecticut as HUSKY — to cover the cost of children’s diapers for the first time.
Gilchrest, who is a co-chair of the legislature’s Human Services Committee and a member of the Public Health and Appropriations committees, said that many families in Connecticut struggle to afford diapers for their infants and young children. She said the legislation could help lower that financial burden by allowing Medicaid to cover diapers in cases where they are deemed “medically necessary.”
“When a family lacks access to diapers it impacts their health and well-being,” Gilchrest said. She added that several medical conditions would qualify families for coverage under the proposal, including diaper rash, eczema and diaper dermatitis.
Janet Stolfi Alfano, chief executive of the Diaper Bank of Connecticut, said at the press conference Monday that roughly half of Connecticut families struggle to afford diapers for their babies. “Having Medicaid cover diapers for infants aged 3 and under is the innovation we need,” she said.
This isn’t the first time lawmakers have considered adding diapers as an allowable expense under the Medicaid program. They also considered bills on the subject in 2023 and 2024, but neither of those pieces of legislation passed.
Gilchrest said this year’s legislation, which narrows eligibility for coverage to those with a medical need for diapers, came about after conversations with lawmakers following those unsuccessful previous proposals. The exact language of the bill has yet to be finalized, and Gilchrest said she had not discussed the proposal with Gov. Ned Lamont.
Both Alfonso and Rep. Gilchrest stressed that a lack of clean diapers can lead to serious medical issues for children, including urinary tract infections and severe skin irritations. They said roughly 40% of all the patients who are hospitalized for urinary tract infections are under 1 year old.
According to state data, there were more than 17,000 children under the age of 1 enrolled in Connecticut’s Medicaid program last year and another 76,000 who were between the ages of 1 and 4.
“I am excited to see how many more families we can support by having Medicaid cover diapers,” said Gilchrest
The Diaper Bank is separately asking the state government to contribute additional money to their mission. The organization currently receives $750,000 annually through the Department of Social Services, which allows them to assist 8,000 families throughout the state.
The leaders of the Diaper Bank have asked the chairs of the Appropriations Committee to increase state funding for their services to $5 million this year in order to expand their reach.
Correction: An earlier version of this story mischaracterized the Diaper Bank’s funding request to the Appropriations Committee this year. The request was made in conversation with leaders of the Appropriations Committee, not in a letter, and it was for $5 million, not $2 million.
This story was originally published by the Connecticut Mirror on Jan. 27, 2025.
