HealthCheck is the name for West Virginia's EPSDT Program. The Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment (EPSDT) Program is a child preventive health component of Medicaid. Federal law requires that state Medicaid programs provide medically necessary health care services to Medicaid-eligible children.
The building blocks of EPSDT are:
| Early |
Identifying problems early, starting at birth |
| Periodic |
Checking children's health at regular, age appropriate intervals |
| Screening |
Doing physical, mental, developmental, oral health, hearing, vision
and other screening tests to detect potential problems |
| Diagnosis |
Preforming diagnostic tests to follow up when a risk is identified, and |
| Treatment |
Treating the problems found. |
The HealthCheck Program promotes regular preventive medical care and the diagnosis and treatment of any health problem found during a screening.
There is no separate enrollment in HealthCheck. If a child is eligible for Medicaid and is under the age of 21, they automatically receive EPSDT services.
HealthCheck primary medical providers will provide children regular check-ups, screenings and preventive services based on a
schedule established by medical, dental and other health care experts, including the American Academy of Pediatrics. Primary medical providers can also treat children when they are sick or refer them to an appropriate specialist if they need to see one.
A HealthCheck primary medical provider may be an:
- MD - Doctor of Medicine
- DO - Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine
- NP - Nurse Practitioner
- PA - Physician Assistant
One of these providers will be your child's medical home. A medical home is more than just a place; it is how your child is cared for. In a medical home, a child's primary medical provider works with the family to make certain that all the health needs of the child are met.