Early Childhood
A child’s brain develops most rapidly in the earliest years of life, building the foundation for learning, behavior and health. Medicaid, along with CHIP, serves four out of five young children in low-income families, serving as a logical place to reach these children and their families before kindergarten. Prioritizing young children and their families in Medicaid through cross-sector, innovative practice change has the potential to improve their lifetime trajectories, overall population health and long-run savings. Through blog posts, papers, and resources, CCF seeks to highlight ways Medicaid can do more to set our nation’s youngest children on a path of healthy physical, social, and emotional development.
New Guidance from CMS Lifts Up Medicaid’s EPSDT Pediatric Benefit
Last month, CMS released a state health official (SHO) letter outlining the requirements states and managed care plans must meet under Medicaid’s pediatric benefit, known as Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment or EPSDT. The EPSDT SHO also describes some strategies and identifies best practices currently in use by states to meet the various […]
States Make Strides, Share Lessons in Financing Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health
By: Alex Busuito In the first five years of life, children develop the social, emotional, and cognitive capacities that are the foundation for lifelong health and wellbeing. A significant financial investment in a robust system of care to support the mental health of babies, young children, and their caregivers goes a long way towards increasing […]
CMS Issues Guidance to States on Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment Requirements
Today, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released much-anticipated guidance on Medicaid’s Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment (EPSDT) requirements. For those who don’t live in Medicaid jargon land, EPSDT is the pediatric benefit in Medicaid and establishes a higher standard for children than adults covered by Medicaid. Most, but not all, […]
CMS Releases Postpartum Care Toolkit to Help States Address Access, Quality, and Equity of Care in Medicaid and CHIP
The rapid state adoption of extended postpartum Medicaid coverage from 60 days to 12 months offers an important opportunity to help ensure new parents and their infants get the health care they need during a critical period of family change following a birth. Last month, CMS released a timely resource for states seeking to help […]
Medicaid Funding for Home Visiting: Time to Scale What Works for Young Children and Families
As more states adopt Medicaid’s postpartum extension, making health coverage work for postpartum people and their newborns requires dedicated attention by states on the best ways to ensure mom and child get the right care at the right time. One popular, evidence-based intervention for young families is home visiting. The approach typically includes some combination […]
