Adaptive innovations to provide services to children with developmental disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Children with developmental disabilities are experiencing significant challenges to service access due to suspension of in-person assessments during the current COVID-19 pandemic. Telehealth is rapidly becoming the new service delivery model, which presents a unique opportunity for innovation in care that could be beneficial in the post-pandemic period. For example, using a combination of in-home video and telehealth options could form the first step in developmental assessment, allowing children to receive the necessary supports without delay. Recent telehealth funding is welcome but additional Medicare items for joint consultations including general practitioners (GPs), and paediatric, mental health and allied health professionals is critical.

Assessing the potential impact on health of the UK's future relationship agreement with the EU: analysis of the negotiating positions.

While policy attention is understandably diverted to COVID-19, the end of the UK's post-Brexit 'transition period' remains 31 December 2020. All forms of future EU-UK relationship are worse for health than EU membership, but analysis of the negotiating texts shows some forms are better than others. The likely outcomes involve major negative effects for NHS staffing, funding for health and social care, and capital financing for the NHS; and for UK global leadership and influence. We expect minor negative effects for cross border healthcare (except in Northern Ireland); research collaboration; and data sharing, such as the Early Warning and Response System for health threats. Despite political narratives, the legal texts show that the UK seeks de facto continuity in selected key areas for pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and equipment [including personal protective equipment (PPE)], especially clinical trials, pharmacovigilance, and batch-testing. The UK will be excluded from economies of scale of EU membership, e.g. joint procurement programmes as used recently for PPE. Above all, there is a major risk of reaching an agreement with significant adverse effects for health, without meaningful oversight by or input from the UK Parliament, or other health policy stakeholders.

Treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 in Shandong, China: a cost and affordability analysis.

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is now a global public threat. Given the pandemic of COVID-19, the economic impact of COVID-19 is essential to add value to the policy-making process. We retrospectively conducted a cost and affordability analysis to determine the medical costs of COVID-19 patients in China, and also assess the factors affecting their costs. METHODS: This analysis was retrospectively conducted in Shandong Provincial Chest Hospital between 24 January and 16 March 2020. The total direct medical expenditures were analyzed by cost factors. We also assessed affordability by comparing the simulated out-of-pocket expenditure of COVID-19 cases relative to the per capita disposable income. Differences between groups were tested by student t test and Mann-Whitney test when appropriate. A multiple logistic regression model was built to determine the risk factors associated with high cost. RESULTS: A total of 70 COVID-19 patients were included in the analysis. The overall mean cost was USD 6827 per treated episode. The highest mean cost was observed in drug acquisition, accounting for 45.1% of the overall cost. Total mean cost was significantly higher in patients with pre-existing diseases compared to those without pre-existing diseases. Pre-existing diseases and the advanced disease severity were strongly associated with higher cost. Around USD 0.49 billion were expected for clinical manage of COVID-19 in China. Among rural households, the proportions of health insurance coverage should be increased to 70% for severe cases, and 80% for critically ill cases to avoid catastrophic health expenditure. CONCLUSIONS: Our data demonstrate that clinical management of COVID-19 patients incurs a great financial burden to national health insurance. The cost for drug acquisition is the major contributor to the medical cost, whereas the risk factors for higher cost are pre-existing diseases and severity of COVID-19. Improvement of insurance coverage will need to address the barriers of rural patients to avoid the occurrence of catastrophic health expenditure.

Financial Burden of Hospitalization of Children with Coronavirus Disease 2019 under the National Health Insurance Service in Korea.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has resulted in an ongoing pandemic; however, the socioeconomic burden of COVID-19 treatment in the pediatric population remains unclear. Thus, the aim of this study was to determine the hospitalization periods and medical costs among children with COVID-19. In total, 145 billing statements for pediatric patients receiving healthcare services because of COVID-19 from February 1, 2020 to March 31, 2020 were used. The study showed that individual treatment costs for children with COVID-19 are approximately USD 2,192 under the Korean National Health Insurance Service System. This study revealed the differences in cost among age groups, determined by the type of hospital wherein admission occurred, as a trend of increasing age, increasing hospitalization time, and increasing cost was observed. Tailored COVID-19 treatment strategies by age group may lower costs and increase the effectiveness of resource allocation.