State health care financing strategies for children with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
We provide the first descriptive summary of selected programs developed to help expand the scope of coverage, mitigate family financial hardship, and provide health and support services that children with intellectual and developmental disabilities need to maximize their functional status and quality of life. State financing initiatives were identified through interviews with family advocacy, Title V, and Medicaid organizational representatives. Results showed that states use myriad strategies to pay for care and maximize supports, including benefits counseling, consumer- and family-directed care, flexible funding, mandated benefits, Medicaid buy-in programs, and Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 1982 funding. Although health reform may reduce variation among states, its impact on families of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities is not yet clear. As health reform is implemented, state strategies to ameliorate financial hardship among families of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities show promise for immediate use. However, further analysis and evaluation are required to understand their impact on family and child well-being.
School of Social Work, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA. sbachman@bu.edu
Sara S
SS
Bachman
Margaret
M
Comeau
Carol
C
Tobias
Deborah
D
Allen
Susan
S
Epstein
Kathryn
K
Jantz
Lynda
L
Honberg
D002648:Child; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000191:economics*; D018166:Health Care Reform / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000191:economics*; D008484:Medicaid / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration; D008483:Medical Assistance / Q000191:economics* / Q000458:organization & administration; D011640:Public Policy; D013219:State Government; D013659:Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration; D014481:United States