A Mother’s Medicaid Story: I Didn’t Know We Could Receive Tranquility®

November 29, 2021

By Nathan Sheffer

Note: The names used in this story have been changed to protect identities.

A mother, Maggie, lives in Colorado with her adult daughter, Kim, who has autism and epilepsy. Due to her complex health challenges, Kim’s ability to control her bladder and bowels are at the level of a 2-year-old. She has dual incontinence – the combination of urinary and fecal incontinence – and she wears disposable products all day and overnight.

Kim has been enrolled in Colorado Medicaid and Home and Community-Based Service waivers (HCBS Waivers) for many years, since she was a young girl. Maggie discovered Tranquility Products in 2015 and has used Tranquility Premium Overnight™ Disposable Underwear ever since.

“They are truly the best on the market,” wrote Maggie. “I have tried many [brands] and have not found any as absorbent as these.”

A few email messages and a quick conversation later, Janet was able to learn more about Maggie and Kim, and help them get their Tranquility products covered by Medicaid. Janet reached out to Maggie’s Tranquility dealer to educate the staff on Medicaid incontinence coverage to ensure that Kim’s Tranquility products are covered moving forward.

Maggie and Kim’s lives have been forever changed by the support of Janet, as they will now receive Tranquility products each month, at no cost to them, for the rest of Kim’s life. Maggie and Kim will save hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars over a lifetime of using superabsorbent products for incontinence management.

Janet receives calls and emails from parents, caregivers and guardians like this on a regular basis. So many parents with children who have complex care needs don’t fully understand the breadth of benefits available from Medicaid and HCBS Waivers. (In fact, Janet teamed up with Parenting Special Needs Magazine to record this webcast covering important tips for parents who are new to Medicaid coverage of incontinence supplies.) Medicaid is complicated, and parents/caregivers have many challenges to balance on top of figuring out coverage rules. However, if you have a child or care recipient with complex care needs and incontinence is a challenge, Janet can help you determine your Medicaid coverage for incontinence supplies. In some situations, she may even be able to connect you with a new dealer that supports Medicaid coverage and supplies Tranquility products under Medicaid.

To get started, we suggest you read our guide on Does Medicaid Cover Incontinence Supplies or Adult Diapers? and then contact Janet for support in getting coverage.

Like Maggie and Kim, we want to help change the lives of parents and children who deal with incontinence!