Kids Keep Getting Stuck in Hospitals, Even After Being Cleared for Discharge By Cara Anthony May 18, 2026

Kids Keep Getting Stuck in Hospitals, Even After Being Cleared for Discharge Across the country, the practice of allowing children to remain hospitalized “beyond medical necessity” has become a costly problem, and states have struggled to address the issue.By Cara Anthony May 18, 2026 https://kffhealthnews.org/health-industry/hospital-boarding-social-stays-children-kids-missouri-illinois/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20Colorado&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8D8YRUCOXrGtB4nYSU7Gg3gRZob1XJRpmp3Vl39rgrb_lnqUnqVq9bVrMLzWnzqpEQlkU0QYMzbBUkfoVjj9lH4gXnLw&_hsmi=420603250&utm_content=420603250&utm_source=hs_email Kids Keep Getting Stuck in Hospitals, Even After Being Cleared for Discharge By Cara Anthony Some children are healthy enough to leave the hospital after a medical stay but have no place to go. Across the country, the practice of allowing children to remain hospitalized “beyond medical necessity” has become a costly problem, and states have struggled to address the issue. In Colorado, a hospital worker emailed a state representative for help after an autistic 13-year-old boy spent weeks at UCHealth Longs Peak Hospital in Longmont.