Perkins J, Somers S. 2003. Toward a healthy future: Medicaid Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment Services for poor children and youth. Los Angeles, CA: National Health Law Program, 196 pp, (Hiscock Collection; related). National Health Law Program, Texas Rural Legal Aid 2639 South La Cienega Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90034 Telephone: (310) 204-6010 Fax: (310) 204-0891 E-mail: nhelp@healthlaw.org Website: http://www.healthlaw.org Available from the website. This book discusses public third party coverage of preventive health services for children and adolescents from families with low incomes, primarily Medicaid's Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment (EPSDT) program. It also reviews managed care and non-Medicaid programs for children from families with low incomes. The first part of the book looks at the crisis in child health care and the need for screening. Part 2 reviews the background of Medicaid. Part 3, which provides the bulk of the book, outlines the legal requirements for EPSDT including outreach, informing, screening, periodicity, diagnosis and treatment, provider participation, coordination, and reporting. Part 4 looks at the problems of managed care and suggested solutions. Accompanying appendices provide a legislative history to EPSDT, age-appropriate screening forms, a comparison of American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations versus states' periodicity schedules (FY 1999), and an outline of the scope of Medicaid benefits. |