TUESDAY, Dec. 27, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The cost of keeping American kids physically and mentally healthy increased 56 percent between 1996 and 2013, a new study finds.
Health care expenditures jumped from nearly $150 billion in 1996 to more than $233 billion in 2013 for those 19 and younger, researchers found.
Routine newborn care in the hospital accounted for the largest share of spending in 2013. Next highest were attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and routine dental care, including checkups and braces, the researchers said.
The findings were published Dec. 27 in JAMA Pediatrics.
“When you place spending on children in the context of all health care, spending on children has been relatively low,” said Rachel Garfield, a senior researcher at the Kaiser Family Foundation. The foundation focuses on national health issues.
“Yet it has led to better access to care and even some better long-term outcomes for children,” said Garfield, author of an editorial accompanying the study.
And by pinpointing areas where costs are rising, policymakers can determine whether these specific increases are cost-effective, said the study’s lead researcher, Joseph Dieleman.
Spending on certain conditions, including asthma and autism, are outpacing the average growth rate for children’s health care spending, said Dieleman, an assistant professor of global health at the University of Washington.
“Conditions such as ADHD, asthma, congenital anomalies, injuries and autistic spectrum disorders have spending that is increasing more quickly,” Dieleman said. “In addition, spending on newborns, especially in well newborn care in the hospital, is growing at a fast rate.”
The largest share of children’s health care spending is aimed at preventing illness and disability through “well care,” Dieleman said. This includes newborn care the first few days of life, child checkups, dental visits, and pregnancy and post-pregnancy care for teen mothers, he noted.
Meanwhile, spending on treating medical problems is dominated by a few major conditions, including ADHD, asthma, and upper respiratory infections, he said.
“Understanding where this growth is and evaluating if this spending has been efficient and appropriate are the next steps in improving the allocation of health resources for children’s health care,” Dieleman said.
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