Diabetes Coverage For Low-Income Children Differs In Midwest

The Midwest provides a mixed bag in term of which states provide safety net healthcare coverage for children from low-income households suffering from diabetes, according to a new study by the University of Michigan.

For example, Minnesota and Illinois – considered two of the more progressive states in the country in terms of healthcare coverage, do not provide any coverage at all under the Children with with Special Health Care Needs Program, which is funded under the Title V portion of the Social Security Act.

Altogether, only 32 states provide some form of Title V coverage or coordination of care, even though it is paid for with federal funds. The program can provide services ranging from access and transportation to doctors to paying for insulin prescriptions for those requiring it.

"States administer Title V programs individually, defining their own medical and financial criteria for eligibility," said Joyce M. Lee, M.D., lead author of the study and an associate professor of pediatrics at C.S. Mott Children's Hospital at the University of Michigan. “This has resulted in a patchwork safety net for children with chronic disease, which could have an impact on future health outcomes. "This is increasingly important, because the overall burden of diabetes in children is rising in the U.S., and diabetes imposes a large financial burden on families who must manage the disease."

According to data from the American Diabetes Association, about 215,000 people nationwide under the age of 20 have diabetes, but lifestyle factors such as obesity are driving the rates upward. About 19 million Americans – children and adults – have diagnosed diabetes, but another 7 million are undiagnosed.

According to the study, Illinois, Minnesota and Missouri do not provide any Title V coverage whatsoever. Wisconsin provides only coordination of care.

Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Iowa, Kansas and Nebraska all provide some form of coverage for children enrolled in Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance program. Household income eligibility ranges from 100% or below of the Federal Poverty Level to as high as 250% of the FPL, depending on the state.