Rehabilitating the severely disabled: the foreign experience

Area of Science:

• Socioeconomics
• Public Policy
• Rehabilitation Science

Background:

• Rapid growth in disability expenditures observed in the 1970s.
• Influencing factors and politicoeconomic variables impacting rehabilitation were identified.
• Discussions with international stakeholders informed policy analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To model relationships between policy variables and rehabilitation outcomes.
• To present lessons for policymakers regarding current trends in rehabilitation.
• To predict future disability and rehabilitation policy directions.

Main Methods:

• Development of a model examining policy and politicoeconomic variables.
• Analysis of documentation on disability expenditures.
• Qualitative insights from discussions with international experts and officials.

Main Results:

• Current trends may depress rehabilitant earnings and labor market stability.
• Inflation increases both immediate and opportunity costs of rehabilitation.
• Unequal cost-sharing may lead to inefficient resource allocation.

Conclusions:

• Rising costs and reduced benefits diminish the overall benefit-cost ratio of rehabilitation.
• Policy adjustments are needed to improve efficiency and goal attainment.
• Future US disability and rehabilitation policies are projected to evolve significantly.