Submitted Photo Data from a 2021 Census Bureau study showed that 24.7% of households with children younger than 18 carried medical debt, a higher rate than households without children. Photo from Adobe Stock.

Many North Dakota households feel strained by medical debt, including parents of children with disabilities or other complex medical needs. Support organizations hope these families make use of the resources available.

An estimated 21% of North Dakota children have a special health care need. For care costs, government coverage programs can bring relief to these households, but analysts say medical expenses can quickly mount, even when the family has commercial insurance.

Laurel Pickering is the president and CEO of the Midwest Health Initiative, which pushes the industry to improve the quality and affordability of health care. She said deductibles in these situations can be problematic.

“Most employers have high-deductible health plans,” Pickering said. “Deductibles range from $1,000 or $2,000 to $5,000, and sometimes even more if you’re talking about a smaller business or smaller company.”

These plans often cap out-of-pocket costs, and Pickering recommended double-checking with the benefits manager about what’s required of the employee and ways in which the employer can help.

She said larger firms sometimes step in as the family waits for coverage approval from the insurer. Traveling to see a specialist is another expense, and Pickering said many charities are willing to chip in.

For families in these situations, UnitedHealthcare Children’s Foundation offers grants to pay for medical expenses not covered, or not fully covered, by a commercial insurance plan.

Scott Otto, the foundation’s assistant executive director, said the grants are available to anyone with insurance, not just UnitedHealthcare policyholders.

He said they can help cover things like equipment, therapies, surgeries and prescriptions, and can be given to families with multiple children in need.

“Each family may have two or three or more kids, so each of those children are independently eligible to apply,” Otto said. “So, it’s not uncommon for us to help families for each of those children, and over multiple years.”

In the past 20 years, the foundation has awarded grants to families of more than 40,000 children, totaling nearly $80 million.

UnitedHealth Group has come under public scrutiny for its billing practices, but officials with the foundation note the charitable arm that makes these grants is a separate entity.

UnitedHealthcare contributes to the Public News Service, which includes Prairie News Service, fund for reporting on health care.