Children’s Specialized Hospital is the first children’s hospital in the country to create a tool to help parents of
children with special needs choose the best health insurance product for their family. As the nation’s largest provider of pediatric specialty care services and pioneer in the treatment of children with complex medical needs, providing families with the resources necessary to make informed decisions when choosing an insurance plan is the logical
next step to providing the highest quality of family centered care. This innovative website (www.childrensspecialized.
org/insurance-education) educates parents and arms them with the tools they need to navigate insurance exchanges
and select the best insurance product for their family.
“We recognize this is likely a nerve wracking and complex process for parents – especially parents of children with special health care needs,” said Amy B. Mansue, president and CEO, Children’s Specialized Hospital. “When parents know what to look for, they can select an insurance plan that will help them maximize their child’s access to care so he or she can reach their fullest potential.”
With the emergence of health insurance exchanges (both public and private), there is an unprecedented amount of responsibility on parents to navigate the ins and outs of 10, 20, 30+ different types of insurance plans. Senator Joseph Vitale, chairman of the New Jersey Senate Health Committee commended Children’s Specialized Hospital for
partnering with families to create this important tool. “Everyone needs to understand what is and isn’t covered by their health insurance,” said Senator Vitale. “It was incredibly insightful for Children’s Specialized Hospital to work directly with the families it serves. This resource was built with expert knowledge from key thought leaders, heath care providers as well as parents that have had learned hard lessons about choosing the right health insurance
for their family’s unique medical needs.”
Parents, particularly parents of children with long-term health needs, need to make sure they’re asking the right questions about a health plan’s coverage when selecting an insurance product. This resource provides parents with the right questions to ask and an easy-to-use tool to capture information about the unique medical needs of their entire family. “The new insurance education website created by Children’s Specialized is an invaluable, one-of-a-kind resource for families of children with special needs and the advocates who serve them,” said Diana Autin, executive co-director for health and family support, Statewide Parent Advocacy Network (SPAN). “Our staff is excited to use
this new resource as they help families navigate the complicated and confusing maze of health coverage in New Jersey.”
Providing parents with a glossary of terms commonly used in the health insurance industry, along with explanations of those terms in easy-to-understand language will also help them become more informed healthcare consumers.
Children’s Specialized Hospital, the largest pediatric rehabilitation hospital in the country, treats children affected by brain injury, spinal cord injury, premature birth, autism, developmental delays, and life-changing illnesses at twelve sites throughout New Jersey. Services include outpatient therapies, physician specialty services, acute rehabilitation, medical day care and long term care through its sites in Bayonne, Clifton, Egg Harbor Township, Mountainside, Toms River, Fanwood, Hamilton, New Brunswick, Newark and Roselle Park as well as outreach programs in many communities.
Children’s Specialized Hospital is an affiliate member of the Robert Wood Johnson Health System and a proud member of the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. Children’s Specialized Hospital Foundation supports the programs and services of the hospital. The Foundation is ranked among the top six pediatric hospital foundations
in the country.
To learn more, call 888-CHILDRENS or visit www.childrens-specialized.org
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