Asthma is the most common chronic disease among U.S. children, affecting 4.8 million of the nation's 70 million children under the age of 18. The debilitating effects of this condition not only cause 10 million missed school days each year, but also have a substantial impact on health care utilization and expenditures. This research assesses the impact of pediatric asthma on health care utilization and expenditures using the latest utilization and expenditure information available from the 1996 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), a nationally representative sample of the U.S. civilian noninstitutionalized population. Differences in the frequency and costs of medications, ambulatory visits, emergency department care, and hospitalizations for children between 1 and 17 with (n=385) and without (n=6186) asthma are examined, as well as source of payment (including out-of-pocket expenses) and type of insurance coverage. The 1996 utilization and expenditure estimates for pediatric asthma also will be compared with previously published estimates from the 1987 National Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (NMES).
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, a participant of this session will be able to: 1) recognize the current economic burden of pediatric asthma; 2)describe shifts in health care utilization, costs, and sources of payment associated with pediatric asthma over the last decade
Keywords: Asthma, Cost Issues
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.