11 Free Health Care Services For Children

If you have a health insurance plan, you have access to fully covered preventive care. These services include regular screenings, checkups, and tests that help you and your family stay healthy… and they’re all free (you won’t even owe a copay!). Have children? Many of these free care services are designed just for them.  

11 Free Services for Children

Put your health insurance to work and make sure you take advantage of these free services for your children (under the age of 18):

1. Autism screenings for children ages 18-24 months. It’s recommended that your primary care doctor complete this screening at your child’s 18-month checkup. Early autism diagnoses lead to early, intensive treatment, which can help reverse symptoms.

2. Behavioral assessments conducted at well-child visits evaluate your children’s mental health from ages 0 months to 17 years.

3. Blood pressure screenings diagnose rare cases of hypertension in children to ensure treatment before it causes organ damage and coronary artery disease.

4. Developmental screenings for children under the age of 3 ensure that speech and language growth is on track.

5. Hearing screenings can catch hearing loss early for better treatment. These screenings are covered for:

   • All newborns

   • Children once between ages 11 and 14 years

   • Children once between 14 and 17 years

6. Immunizations prevent your children from catching serious diseases. These include common vaccines such as:

   • Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis (DTP)

   • Hepatitis A and B

   • Human Papillomavirus (HPV)

   • Flu shots

   • Measles

   • Meningococcal  

   • Pneumococcal

   • Rotavirus

   • Varicella (Chickenpox)

7. Lead screenings for children at risk of exposure. Lead can cause headaches, anemia, stomach pain, behavioral problems, and more, so testing is key to identifying and treating any exposure.

8. Newborn screenings conducted shortly after birth look for serious health conditions that you’ll want to treat early on if present. These screenings look for diseases like:

   1. Hypothyroidism

   2. Sickle cell disease

   3. PKU, which is a metabolic disorder

9. Obesity screenings and counseling to identify if your children are overweight and help them establish a healthier lifestyle.

10. Teenage screenings ensure your children stay mentally and physically healthy as they grow. These screenings include:

    1. Depression screenings from age 12

    2. HIV & Hepatitis B screenings for at-risk children

    3. Cervical dysplasia screenings for sexually active females

11. Vision screenings are typically included as part of a well-child visit and detect any issues or abnormalities with your children’s vision. If your child does have vision problems, your plan may also help pay for their glasses.

Get the full list of preventive free care for children here.

Dental Coverage for Children

In addition to free preventive care, health insurance plans will often help pay for your children’s dental care. In fact, under the Affordable Care Act, dental coverage for children must be available in all states either through existing health insurance plans or stand-alone options. While it must be available to you, you don’t have to buy it.

Many insurance plans will cover dental benefits for children such as:

• Dental exams every six months

• Cleanings, fluoride treatments (for children 16 and under), and x-rays

• Some of the expense for braces

Need dental insurance for the family? Stride offers affordable options here.