Parents Perspectives On Children's Health Insurance Costs

Author: American Academy of Pediatrics
Published: 2010/10/03 - Updated: 2025/02/24
Publication Type: Informative
Topic: Disability Insurance - Publications List

Page Content: Synopsis - Introduction - Main - Insights, Updates

Synopsis: Study reveals 1 in 8 parents skip recommended child healthcare due to costs, even with insurance.

Why it matters: This report reveals that one in eight parents have been unable to follow pediatricians' recommendations - such as obtaining medications, lab tests, or specialist consultations - for their children in the past year due to financial constraints, even among insured families. Notably, children with private insurance are twice as likely to be under-insured compared to those with public insurance, leading to unmet medical needs and potential health deterioration. These findings underscore the pressing need for policy reforms to address the gaps in insurance coverage that leave many families, especially those with lower incomes, struggling to afford essential healthcare for their children - Disabled World (DW).

Introduction

One in eight parents reported that his or her child had not received pediatrician-recommended care - medication, laboratory testing and/or appointments with specialists - during the previous 12 months due to concerns over cost and payment, according to a study, presented Sunday, Oct. 3, at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) National Conference and Exhibition in San Francisco.

Main Item

For the study, "Parents Perspectives on their Children's Health Insurance: The Plight of the Under-insured," 1,978 southwest Ohio parents were queried regarding the impact of their children's health insurance on their ability to follow pediatric recommendations, as well as on their child's health. Children were considered "under-insured" if their parents had not been able to follow at least one recommendation from a pediatrician during the previous 12 months due to insufficient insurance coverage.

Forty-two percent of parents with under-insured children agreed with the statement their "child's health had suffered because of not being able to afford the cost of the needed care," compared to less than 2 percent of parents who were not under-insured

The study also found that private insurance is a risk factor for under-insurance.

After controlling, for annual family income and health status, children with private insurance were about twice as likely as children with public insurance to be under-insured. In addition, children with poorer health or from poorer families (those with household incomes between $15,000 and $34,999) were at greater risk for under-insurance than children who were healthier or from wealthier families (household earning more than $75,000 annually).

"These results serve to highlight a major public health problem pediatricians have observed for years," said John M. Pascoe, MD, MPH, FAAP. The investigators believe that the explanation for the high level of child under-insurance among lower income families whose children do not qualify for public insurance is the high deductibles and co-pays imposed by their private insurance companies. Many parents believe their children's health has suffered as a direct result of their inability to afford recommended care for their under-insured children."

American Academy of Pediatrics

The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 60,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical sub-specialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults.

Insights, Analysis, and Developments

The disparity between insured status and actual access to recommended pediatric care highlights a critical flaw in the American healthcare system. When financial barriers prevent parents from securing necessary treatments for their children, it not only jeopardizes immediate health outcomes but also contributes to long-term societal costs. Addressing the under-insurance issue is imperative to ensure that all children, regardless of their family's economic standing or insurance type, receive the comprehensive care they need to thrive

Attribution/Source(s): This quality-reviewed publication was selected for publishing by the editors of Disabled World (DW) due to its relevance to the disability community. Originally authored by American Academy of Pediatrics and published on 2010/10/03, this content may have been edited for style, clarity, or brevity. For further details or clarifications, American Academy of Pediatrics can be contacted at aap.org NOTE: Disabled World does not provide any warranties or endorsements related to this article.