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Free Preventive Care for Children

All Covered California health plans include preventive care for children at no added cost.

What to Know Before Your Child's Visit

Preventive care includes checkups, vaccines, screenings and counseling that help catch health concerns early. These services are free when your child sees an in-network provider, even if you haven't met your deductible for the year. When you schedule your child's appointment, tell the office that you’re coming in for a preventive care visit. This helps make sure you are not charged.

Mentioning a new symptom or health concern during the visit may result in a separate charge. That part of the visit may not be covered as preventive care.

What’s Covered

Your plan covers these preventive services for children at no cost. Timing and eligibility vary by age, health history and risk factors.

Service
Service
What It Is
When It’s Covered
Wellness exams
Regular checkups to track your child's growth, development and overall health
Throughout childhood
Medical history
A review of your child's health history at each visit to catch concerns early
Through age 17
Height, weight and BMI measurements
Tracking height, weight and BMI to watch growth and prevent obesity
Through age 17
Behavioral assessments
Check-ins to spot emotional or behavioral concerns early
Through age 17
Developmental screening
Screenings to make sure babies and toddlers are developing on track
Through age 3
Autism screening
A check to look for early signs of autism
At 18 and 24 months
Vision screening
Routine vision tests to catch problems early
Throughout childhood
Newborn hearing screening
A hearing test to detect hearing loss early
At birth
Depression screening
Screenings to check for signs of depression, with referrals to support as needed
Children and teens
Tobacco use prevention
Counseling to help prevent tobacco use
Through age 17
Alcohol, tobacco and drug use assessments
Discussions to help prevent misuse of alcohol, tobacco and drugs
Through age 17

Learn More About Your Plan