Medicaid Expenditures for Children Remaining at Home After a First Finding of Child Maltreatment

Child maltreatment is associated with physical and mental health problems. The objective of this study was to compare Medicaid expenditures based on a first-time finding of child maltreatment by Child Protective Services (CPS).

This retrospective cohort study included children aged 0 to 14 years enrolled in Utah Medicaid between January 2007 and December 2009. The exposed group included children enrolled in Medicaid during the month of a first-time CPS finding of maltreatment not resulting in out-of-home placement. The unexposed group included children enrolled in Medicaid in the same months without CPS involvement. Quantile regression was used to describe differences in average nonpharmacy Medicaid expenditures per child-year associated with a first-time CPS finding of maltreatment.

A total of 6593 exposed children and 39 181 unexposed children contributed 20 670 and 105 982 child-years to this analysis, respectively. In adjusted quantile regression, exposed children at the 50th percentile of health care spending had annual expenditures $78 (95% confidence interval [CI], 65 to 90) higher than unexposed children. This difference increased to $336 (95% CI, 283 to 389) and $1038 (95% CI, 812 to 1264) at the 75th and 90th percentiles of health care spending. Differences were higher among older children, children with mental health diagnoses, and children with repeated episodes of CPS involvement; differences were lower among children with severe chronic health conditions.

Maltreatment is associated with increased health care expenditures, but these costs are not evenly distributed. Better understanding of the reasons for and outcomes associated with differences in health care costs for children with a history of maltreatment is needed.