Early Periodic Screening and Diagnostic Treatment (EPSDT) legislation was part of the 1967
Social Security Amendments. EPSDT required the states to seek out all needy children
under 21 years of age who were eligible under the Medicaid program, in order to provide
them with preventative health screening. The 1967 legislation mandated state action by
July 1, 1969. Yet, it was not until a law suit, won by the National Welfare Rights Organization,
that had charged HEW with failure to implement EPSDT, did this new and progressive
program get off the ground. It was in February, 1972, that HEW had set as the new
deadline for state action.
EPSDT is the only aspect of the Medicaid program which has as its objective, preventive
health care. This makes the program significant because the poor have traditionally sought
health care in emergencies rather than maintaining a continuous relationship with the
health care system. In recommending that Congress adopt such a program,
before its enactment, President Johnson stated:
"The problem is to discover, as early as possible, the ills that
handicap our children. There must be a continuing follow-up and treatment so that
handicaps do not go untreated. We must enlarge our efforts to give proper eye care
to a needy child. We must provide help to strengthen a poor youngster's limb before
he becomes permanently disabled. We must stop tuberculosis in its first stages
before it causes serious harm."
President Johnson's recommendation was based on a study conducted by
HEW that concluded that between 10 and 25% of children from low income families
suffer from one or more untreated chronic conditions, including orthopedic, nuerogical,
mental, emotional, vision and hearing disorders. However, HEW further estimated
that 40% of vision and hearing defects and 20% of other chronic handicapping conditions
could be prevented or corrected if a system of early case findings and treatment was implemented.
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