Back to Annual Meeting

Back to Annual Meeting

APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Recorded presentation

Robert L. Seidman, PhD¹, Janet C. Wolf, MPH², and Edward M. Castillo, PhD¹. (1) Institute for Public Health, San Diego State University, 6505 Alvarado Road, Suite 211, San Diego, CA 92120, (2) Institute for Publlic Health, San Diego State University, 6505 Alvarado Road, Suite 211, San Diego, CA 92120, 619-594-8207, jwolf@projects.sdsu.edu

The California Children's Services (CCS) Program provides health care services to residents of California, from birth to age 21, with CCS-eligible medical conditions. Eligible conditions include, but are not limited to, cancer, cerebral palsy, HIV, cystic fibrosis, and sickle cell disease. Additional eligibility requirements involve family income or the percentage of family income spent on the child's medical expenses. CCS pays for only those services related to the CCS-eligible condition. This presentation provides information about the CCS Program, different categories of eligible beneficiaries, and services provided to CCS beneficiaries. The State of California Department of Health Services contracted with the Institute for Public Health at San Diego State University to explore possible reasons for much higher expenditures per capita by one of the CCS-eligible beneficiary groups. Multivariate analysis was performed to identify differences in costs across the different beneficiary groups, and attempt to identify causes of that variation, including possible variation in services provided. The results of this analysis will be useful for providers of children's services and those who formulate policy related to children's special needs and services. The challenges working with such large administrative databases provided by state health agencies will also be explored.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, the participant will be able to

• Describe variables that influence the cost of providing services to children enrolled in the California Children’s Services (CCS) program.
• Discuss factors that have resulted in substantial cost variations for different payment categories within the CCS program.
• Apply lessons learned through this assessment to cost studies of other programs for children with special health care needs.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No

Recorded presentation