
Improving Childhood Health: The Unrealized Potential of Medicaid’s EPSDT Program
Law & Policy InsightsMaternal and Child HealthMedicaidIn the United States, millions of children live in poverty and are at a much greater risk of experiencing adverse health outcomes compared to their contemporaries in higher income households. Low-income children of color are disproportionately at risk of having health problems including but not limited to, dental, hearing, speech, and vision problems; elevated lead blood levels; early childhood trauma; and asthma. Social risk factors such as the lack of access to healthy food, quality educational opportunities, greater environmental hazard exposures, and inadequate housing significantly increase the likelihood that a low-income child will be in poor health.