Data has shown that when diapers, wipes, and skin barrier supplies run short, severe diaper rash can escalate into pain and infection, and the emergency department (ED) becomes the last resort for caregivers who cannot afford another option. This is a clear policy gap: diapers and wipes are routinely covered through managed long term care for older adults, yet infants ages 0 to 3 are not afforded the same basic preventive support during their most vulnerable years.
Addressing this gap is not only compassionate but cost-effective. Preventive access to essential hygiene supplies reduces avoidable emergency department visits, lowers downstream medical costs, and alleviates strain on New York’s healthcare system, without shifting additional financial burden onto taxpayers. By investing in low-cost, preventive supplies, we can reduce crisis-driven care for parents and improve health outcomes for children.
Join us as we can foster policy change in providing diapers, wipes, and skin barrier supplies by integrating diaper access into Medicaid managed care benefits as a health-related social need, using in lieu of value-added benefits to reduce avoidable ED use and prevent crisis-driven care before it starts.
Learn more at the Maternal and Infant Health Equity Collaborative: https://healthix.org/mihec/contact-us/
