New EPSDT Publication Available:
Children's Health Under Medicaid: A National Review of Early
and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment
August 1998
126 pp, $35
Copies of Children's Health Under Medicaid are now available for only $35.
To place an order call NHeLP at (310) 204-6010; send a fax to (310) 204-0891;
or an e-mail message to
nhelp@healthlaw.org
An executive summary is available on NHeLP's website at http://www.healthlaw.org.
Children's Health Under Medicaid: A National Review of Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment
Over 30 years ago, Congress took a monumental step to address the problem of childhood poverty when it enacted Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment (EPSDT) as part of the federal Medicaid program. The Medicaid EPSDT provisions entitle poor children to a comprehensive package of preventive health care and medically necessary diagnosis and treatment. In 1996, 22.9 million children more than one out of every five children in the United States were eligible for EPSDT. By sheer force of numbers alone, EPSDT has the potential to improve dramatically the overall health of children living in the United States.
Since its inception, however, the program's success in screening and treating eligible children has not met expectations. The United States continues to lag behind other countries in providing preventive health care to children.
Through the Freedom of Information Act, the National Health Law Program obtained from the federal government EPSDT data reported by the states for fiscal years 1994 through 1996. The chartbook uses this information to report the state of children's health under EPSDT.
Section I of the chartbook provides a brief overview to the EPSDT program, federal EPSDT requirements, and the value of preventive care. Section II summarizes national findings and provides innovations and recommendations for improving EPSDT screening and reporting. Section III contains detailed national trends over time, state profiles for fiscal year 1996, and individual state charts for fiscal years 1994 through 1996.
This report was funded by The Annie E. Casey Foundation. The opinions expressed in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Foundation.
Copies of Children's Health Under Medicaid are now available for only $35.
To place an order call NHeLP at (310) 204-6010; send a fax to
(310) 204-0891; or an e-mail message to nhelp@healthlaw.org.
An executive summary is available on NHeLP's website at
http://www.healthlaw.org.
Brendan McTaggart
Communications Director
National Health Law Program
2639 S. La Cienega Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90034
Ph (310) 204-6010
Fx (310) 204-0891
brendan@healthlaw.org
http://www.healthlaw.org