As you know, protecting children from exposure to lead is important for a child’s health and well-being. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), even low levels of lead in blood can affect a child’s intelligence, ability to pay attention and academic achievement.1
We want to support your efforts to help ensure your pediatric patients who are UnitedHealthcare Community Plan members are receiving blood lead level tests at the required ages.
Here are state-mandated requirements for lead testing and best practices for you and your staff:
Lead testing requirements
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) requires all children enrolled in Medicaid to receive a blood lead level test at:
All blood lead tests must be reported to the state. For more information, see DHS guidelines for lead testing and reporting.
Best practices for lead testing
When a child presents for an office visit, Wisconsin DHS recommends asking their parent or guardian the following questions to help assess the child’s risk for lead exposure. If the answer to any of these questions is “yes”, the child is at risk for lead exposure and should be tested:
We also recommend these additional best practices for lead testing:
Learn more
You can find more information about requirements and best practices through the Wisconsin Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program.
Questions?
1Health Effects of Lead Exposure, CDC
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