Prepared for The Commonwealth Fund.

No federal or state-funded program has a more profound impact on children than Medicaid. Covering nearly 40 percent of all children in the country, including more than 80 percent of children in poverty and more than half of Black and Latino children, Medicaid is a major driver of health for our nation’s children, with lifelong implications for their well-being. On September 26, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released comprehensive guidance on Medicaid’s federal coverage and access requirements for children. Described by CMS as a “cornerstone” of the Medicaid program, these rules, known as the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment (EPSDT) requirements, are aimed at ensuring all children enrolled in Medicaid get the health care services they need “at the right time and at the right place.”

A new blog post by Manatt Health Partner Cindy Mann and Senior Advisor Zoe Barnard for The Commonwealth Fund highlights the key components of the 57-page guidance document, which lays out longstanding requirements for states, describes a range of strategies states are using to address children’s needs and comply with program requirements, and explores barriers to children and young people receiving the care they need and are entitled to receive.

To read the full blog post, click here.