The Nation - News from May 11, 1987

A growing number of children whose lives depend on medical devices are being kept in hospitals rather than at home, where their care would be better and cheaper, a report to Congress concluded. The report by the Office of Technology Assessment pointed to a growing population of up to 17,000 “technology dependent” children whose lives have been changed by new equipment including ventilators, intravenous feeding and kidney machines. It said that although parents may prefer to care for their children at home, lack of insurance coverage may prevent them from bringing the child home.