Journal Article

Age-Related Variation in Health Service Use and Associated Expenditures Among Children with Autism

Lawer, Lindsay, Cidav, Zuleyha, Marcus, Steven C., Mandell, David S.

2013

Overview

This study examined differences by age in service use and associated expenditures during 2005 for Medicaid-enrolled children with autism spectrum disorders. Aging was associated with significantly higher use and costs for restrictive, institution-based care and lower use and costs for community-based therapeutic services. Total expenditures increased by 5 % with each year of age; by 23 % between 3–5 and 6–11 year olds, 23 % between 6–11 and 12–16, and 14 % between 12–16 and 17–20 year olds. Use of and expenditures for long-term care, psychiatric medications, case management, medication management, day treatment/partial hospitalization, and respite services increased with age; use of and expenditures for occupational/physical therapy, speech therapy, mental health services, diagnostic/assessment services, and family therapy declined.

• Publisher: Springer US,Springer,Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: Access to Health Care / Adolescent / Adolescents / Adult / Age / Age Differences / Age Factors / Aging / Autism / Autistic children / Behavioral Science and Psychology / Biological and medical sciences / Care and treatment / Case management / Caseworkers / Child / Child and School Psychology / Child clinical studies / Child Development Disorders, Pervasive - economics / Child, Preschool / Children / Clinical Diagnosis / Community-based programs / Costs / Day treatment / Developmental disorders / Disorders / Drug Therapy / Drugs / Economic aspects / Expenditure / Expenditures / Family Counseling / Family therapy / Health Care Costs / Health care expenditures / Health costs / Health Expenditures / Health Insurance / Health Services / Health services utilization / Hospitalization / Hospitals / Humans / Infantile autism / Long term health care / Long-Term Care / Medicaid / Medicaid - economics / Medicaid - utilization / Medical care / Medical care, Cost of / Medical sciences / Medical treatment / Mental disorders / Mental Health Programs / Mental health services / Mental Health Services - economics / Mental Health Services - utilization / Neurodevelopmental disorders / Neurosciences / Occupational Therapy / Pediatrics / Physical Therapy / Physiotherapy / Prescription drugs / Psychology / Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry / Psychopathology. Psychiatry / Psychotropic drugs / Public Health / Respite Care / speech / Speech Therapy / United States / Utilization / Young Adult