Parents raising children with special needs face significant extra costs for therapies, rehabilitation and specialty medical care, among other costs. A new study found that families with similar demographics and nature of their children’s special needs have different out-of-pocket health expenditures depending on the state in which they live.

The study found that wealthier states tend to have a smaller proportion of families with any financial burden and a lower average extra cost for caring for a child with special needs. At the low end, families in the State of Massachusetts paid an average of $560 for out-of-pocket medical expenses. At the high end, families in Georgia shouldered an average of $970 in additional care expenses. The study ranked all 50 states and the District of Columbia, showing the average percentage of special needs families that shoulder an additional financial burden, the yearly average extra costs of those families and the size of these costs relative to family income. New Jersey ranked 17th on the list.

View full rankings table at: http://news-info.wustl.edu/news/page/normal/11870.html.

An article about the study can be found here: Newswise Social and Behavioral Sciences News | Cost of Raising a Child with Special Needs: Where Does Your State Rank?