38% Of Medicaid-Enrolled Children Did Not Receive Required Blood Lead Screening Tests

Approximately 38% of Medicaid-enrolled children in California, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas did not receive Medicaid-required blood lead screening tests. Additionally, about 20% of the approximately 209,000 children in the five states who had been continuously enrolled in Medicaid from birth through age 3, had also never received a required blood lead screening test. Blood lead screening is required at 12 and 24 months. Medicaid’s Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment (EPSDT) benefit covers preventive medical services—including blood lead screening tests—for enrolled children. In the five states, about one million children should . . .