Click here to read a copy of the letter. Have HHS update Congress on the Department's effort to increase the number of Medicaid-enrolled children screened for lead poisoning.
Lead poisoning is a nationwide, environmental health hazard.
At high levels, lead can cause a variety of debilitating health problems, including seizure, coma and even death. At lower levels, lead can contribute to learning disabilities, loss of intelligence, hyperactivity and behavioral problems. According to government surveys, more than 890,000 preschoolers about 4.4 percent nationwide suffer from high lead levels. Taxpayers have already paid over a billion dollars to deal with the tragic consequences of childhood lead exposure, including significant expenditures for medical care, special education, and lead abatement in housing. Research shows that children with elevated blood lead levels are seven times more likely to drop out of high school and six times more likely to have reading disabilities.