HCFA's policies are critical for protecting children's health because the Medicaid program serves children at high risk for lead poisoning. Lead screening is critical, and it is essential that HCFA take an aggressive stance, including financial penalties and incentives, to assure that all 50 states conduct Medicaid-supported lead screening. But screening to identify lead-poisoned children is only a first step. An equally important question is what steps are taken to investigate and mitigate lead hazards once a lead- poisoned child has been identified.
Diagnosis requires finding the lead source.
Treatment means effectively controlling all lead hazards to protect the lead- poisoned child from further exposure. HCFA's refusal to fund appropriate diagnosis and treatment is not in accordance with the spirit of the law. It should be dropped. The only way to investigate a poisoned child's exposure to lead is to collect and analyze environmental samples. This step is vital for diagnosis and treatment.