Insurance Coverage for Rehabilitation Therapies and Association with Social Participation Outcomes among Low-Income Children

Objectives. (1) To profile children’s health insurance coverage rates for specific rehabilitation therapies; (2) to determine whether coverage for rehabilitation therapies is associated with social participation outcomes after adjusting for child and household characteristics; (3) to assess whether rehabilitation insurance differentially affects social participation of children with and without disabilities. Methods. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of secondary survey data on 756 children (ages 3–17) from 370 households living in low-income neighborhoods in a Midwestern U.S. city. Multivariate mixed effects logistic regression models were estimated. Results. Significantly higher proportions of children with disabilities had coverage for physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech and language pathology, yet gaps in coverage were noted. Multivariate analysis indicated that rehabilitation insurance coverage was significantly associated with social participation (OR = 1.67, 95% CI: 1.013-2.75). This trend was sustained in subgroup analysis. Conclusions. Findings support the need for comprehensive coverage of all essential services under children’s health insurance programs.