Subscribe today for more stories, tips, and updates.

Cincinnati Children's Blog
  • Subscribe
  • CincinnatiChildrens.org
  • Contact Us
  • Blog
  • Healthy Living
  • Rare and Complex Conditions
  • Safety and Prevention
  • Heart Conditions
  • Learning and Growing
  • Research and Discoveries
  • ?
  • Blog
  • Healthy Living
  • Rare and Complex Conditions
  • Safety and Prevention
  • Heart Conditions
  • Learning and Growing
  • Research and Discoveries
  • ?
  • Subscribe
  • CincinnatiChildrens.org
  • Contact Us
HOME/Health Care Quality/Overcoming Unstable Insurance Coverage for Ohio Kids with Special Health Care Needs

Overcoming Unstable Insurance Coverage for Ohio Kids with Special Health Care Needs

 

June 24, 2010
1 Comments
By: Gerry Fairbrother, Ph.D.

A third of Ohio children with special health care needs have unstable or inadequate insurance coverage despite the fact that they may qualify for government health programs.

Our Child Policy Research Center has analyzed data about Ohio children with special health care needs (CSHCN).  Some 445,200 children, or 16.2 percent of all Ohio children, meet the screening criteria to be classified as having special health care needs (i.e. functional limitations, emotional, behavioral and development needs, access to specialized therapies).  While data indicate that these kids are more likely to be insured than not, nearly 12 percent of the poorest CSHCN did not have consistent access to health insurance over the course of the study year, 2005/2006.

Thirty-one percent of these families who have private insurance face what they consider “unreasonable” health care costs.  While many of us might say our health care costs are unreasonable too, consider this: average out-of-pocket expenses for a privately insured child with special health care needs are nearly three times higher than those of non-CSHCN.  Families of uninsured CSHCN face out-of-pocket costs nearly five times higher than uninsured children without special health care needs.  It is no wonder that 45 percent of uninsured families of CSHCN are having financial problems from the cost of care; fifteen percent of insured families also are struggling.

Families are working to combat the problem, but at great costs, both personally and financially.  About one-quarter of uninsured or inadequately-insured families find themselves in a situation where one family member must cut back hours, or leave the workplace altogether, in order to care for their child’s health needs.  This ultimately creates a tremendous financial strain and leaves some families contemplating delaying or avoiding preventive treatment, which potentially can lead to even greater health care costs down the road.

A complete solution is not plausible at this time.  However, the passage of health reform aims to close gaps in insurance coverage; for example, it will no longer be permissible to exclude these children with pre-existing conditions from private health coverage.

We can begin now by educating uninsured families caring for CSHCN of their health care options – two out of every three are eligible for current public programs.  Enhanced efforts to enroll and retain all Medicaid-eligible children would capture some of those under- or uninsured, and potentially help reduce additional high costs engendered to their families and the health care system.

Quality of care for all children is important, but quality of care for these kids is critically important.  When public or private health insurance is interrupted or inadequate, it takes a toll on the child, but also on that child’s family, healthcare provider and the state’s economy.

Gerry Fairbrother, PhD, is the Associate Director of the Child Policy Research Center. Her research focuses on access and barriers to care, particularly for low-income children, and vaccine policies. Dr. Fairbrother also directs the Health Services Research course in the Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the University of Cincinnati.

Subscribe today for more stories, tips, and updates.

Related Articles

Radiologic Technologist Programs
Radiologic Technologist Programs
Misconceptions about Von Willebrand Disease in Teen Girls
Misconceptions about Von Willebrand Disease in Teen Girls
<strong>MRI’s Role in Your Child’s Proton Therapy</strong> 
MRI’s Role in Your Child’s Proton Therapy 
Would You Pass This Pesticide Safety Quiz?
Would You Pass This Pesticide Safety Quiz?
TAGS:

About the author: Gerry Fairbrother, Ph.D.

Write A Comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Comments

Chris Lah August 28, 2014 at 5:18 pm

Gerry -like the article. I am currently over both CCHMC’s financial counselors and financial advocates. My staff is very interested in your research on this topic and I shall share.

Topics

  • Cancer and Blood Diseases
  • Child Development and Behavior
  • Childhood Obesity
  • Chronic Care Networks
  • Cincinnati Walks for Kids
  • Featured Faces
  • Fetal Conditions
  • Fitness and Nutrition
  • Food Allergies
  • Ghana 2012
  • Health Care Public Policy
  • Health Care Quality
  • Health Care Reform
  • Healthy Living
  • Heart Conditions
  • Hospital Operations
  • How We Do It
  • Learning and Growing
  • Meet The Team
  • Nurses Week 2012
  • Patient Family Experience
  • Patient Flow
  • Patient Safety
  • Patient Stories
  • Pin of the Week
  • Radiology
  • Rare and Complex Conditions
  • Research
  • Research and Discoveries
  • Safety and Prevention
  • Share Your Story
  • Technology
  • Uncategorized
  • Vaccines
  • Volunteerism
  • What Makes Us Different
  • What's New
See All Topics
See Less Topics

Subscribe

Never miss a post! Sign up to get new blog updates delivered to your email.

Popular Posts

  • 6 Questions to Ask When Your Child Complains of Chest Pain 2.2k views
  • Caring for the Caregivers of Children with Congenital Heart Disease  1.5k views
  • Stuttering In Young Kids: When To Be Concerned 0.9k views
  • Laryngomalacia: Is My Child’s Noisy Breathing Serious? 720 views
  • 4 Questions to Ask When Your Child Has Recurrent Croup 621 views
  • What’s the difference between a CAT-Scan and a CT-Scan? 550 views
About

The Cincinnati Children’s blog features thoughts and perspectives from our experts on all things pediatric health. This blog does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Learn More »

Contact Us
  • 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio 45229-3026
  • 1-513-636-4200 | 1-800-344-2462
  • TTY: 1-513-636-4900
  • socialmedia@cchmc.org
Connect With Us
  • Subscribe
  • CincinnatiChildrens.org
  • Contact Us

© 2009-2022 Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center