A programmatic approach to improving the health of poor children.

There is a consensus among policy makers, physicians, child health advocates, and the general public on the need for federal action to improve the health care delivery system for poor children. What should be done, how it will be done, and who will be responsible remains a controversy. This article addresses the problems and potential of the Early and Periodic Screening Diagnosis and Treatment (EPSDT) Program within the context of Medicaid, and proposes a programmatic strategy to make EPSDT more effective.