Children’s Access to Vital Services Threatened by the Senate’s Health Care Bill

A significant public outcry over possibilities of dissolving the Prevention and Public Health Fund as well as eliminating some AHCA American Health Care Act health benefits that are essential of which both proposals were included in the BCRA, the Senates (Better Care Reconciliation Act).

The Medicaid’s Early and Periodic Screening Diagnosis & Treatment (EPSDT) benefits treatment has seen much less attention even though you see the AHCA and BCRA will make it for care to be received for many children. This includes different services that are related to “substance misuse” and “lead poisoning.” States that are approved for block grants created by Medicaid being converted into a block grant for different populations which includes children.

In 1967 the EPSDT benefit was introduced after the military started experiencing unusually high rejection rates for draftee’s due to childhood medical issues that went untreated.  To ensure healthier kids that are better learners, the EPSDT was put in place to so children have better access to services needed to be healthy and excel at school.

Since the creation of EPSDT, low income children affected by increased blood lead levels, obesity, trauma, asthma, and adverse childhood experiences as well as other health related problems have benefited greatly.

When a package is put together by the U.S. Senate to replace the ACA (Affordable Care Act), it must be ensured that children will be covered and have access to the services we already know will keep them healthy and happy allowing them to be productive members of society.