High out-of-pockets costs of inadequate insurance are the main driver.
A study led by University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine researchers found that the number of underinsured children increased by 2.4 million from 2016 to 2019.
The researchers found that underinsurance of children was driven by increased rates of inadequate insurance rather than a rise in the uninsured or inconsistent insurance coverage. Families who have children with special health care needs and private insurance were hit particularly hard.
The study analyzed data from the the National Survey of Children’s Health, an annual survey about the physical and mental health of newborns through 17-year-olds. Underinsured was defined as those lacking adequate insurance, meaning it allowed children to see providers and protected against unreasonable out-of-pocket expenses. High out-of-pocket costs was a main driver in rising insurance inadequacy, and these high fees may force families to delay or forgo care for their child.
The researchers suggest that insurers are increasingly transferring costs to individuals and families through higher copays and premiums and, increasingly, through high-deductible plans. This may explain why children with private health insurance were more likely to be underinsured than those on public plans, such as Medicaid or Children’s Health Insurance Program.
The study also found an increase in the rate of underinsurance in white children from middle-income, highly educated families. In addition, kids with more complex special health care needs were more likely to be underinsured than those with less complex or no special health needs.
The researchers state that to tackle the problem of child underinsurance, large-scale policy reforms such as broadening eligibility for Medicaid or creating a universal health insurance program for all U.S. kids may be required. Smaller policy changes—such as making it easier to apply for and stay on Medicaid or cash assistance programs to help cover out-of-pocket expenses—also would be beneficial.
This article was originally published by sister publication Medical Economics.
Fluoxetine helps refractory nocturnal enuresis but not for long
March 29th 2023A 12-week study in Egypt of the efficacy of fluoxetine (a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) in children with treatment-refractory nocturnal enuresis (NE) found that though the treatment achieved a good initial response, it was not sustainable.
Meet the Board: Vivian P. Hernandez-Trujillo, MD, FAAP, FAAAAI, FACAAI
May 20th 2022Contemporary Pediatrics sat down with one of our newest editorial advisory board members: Vivian P. Hernandez-Trujillo, MD, FAAP, FAAAAI, FACAAI to discuss what led to her career in medicine and what she thinks the future holds for pediatrics.
Are some patients predisposed to avascular necrosis after hip surgery?
March 14th 2023Although avascular necrosis (AVN) is believed to be an iatrogenic complication following treatment of developmental dysplasia of the hip, an investigation in China found 2 characteristics associated with the condition: the likelihood of AVN increases with both the grade of dislocation and of underdevelopment of the ossific nucleus.
Meet the board: Jessica L. Peck, DNP, APRN, CPNP-PC, CNE, CNL, FAANP, FAAN
April 22nd 2022In the latest episode of our podcast series, Jessica L. Peck, DNP, APRN, CPNP-PC, CNE, CNL, FAANP, FAAN shares why she got into medicine, the myths of pediatric, and what the future may hold for the specialty.