Wyoming Medicaid logo

Wyoming Medicaid

Wyoming Medicaid is a joint federal and state government program that pays for medical care for some low-income and medically needy individuals and families.

Contact Info:

122 W 25th St., 4th Floor West
Cheyenne, WY 82001
(307) 777-7531
Fax: (307) 777-6964

Well Child Checkups!

“We give many names to that which we love”

Here at Wyoming Medicaid, we LOVE Well Child Checkups! So whether you hear them referred to as a Well Child Checkup; a Bright Futures Visit; a Health Check; or an Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, & Treatment (EPSDT) Visit – our goal is to ensure Wyoming children stay healthy by seeing their doctor regularly!

A note for our Providers:

The Public Health Division purchased American Academy of Pediatrics licenses for ALL Wyoming providers to access the current 4th Edition of the Bright Futures Toolkit. 

If you are interested in getting access to the toolkit, please email: mchinfo@wyo.gov.

Children in middle childhood.

What is a Well Child Checkup?

The American Academy of Pediatrics endorses Well Child Checkups because, “Regular checkups are an important way to keep track of your child’s health and physical, emotional, and social development. These visits are important for ALL children, including children and youth with special health care needs who may also be under the care of specialists. Your conversations can range from sharing your successes and milestones, to overall concerns about child development, to challenges in daily routines.

Think of these visits as your chance to learn as much as you can about the best ways to help your child grow. By focusing on your child’s growth and learning, both you and your health care professional make sure your child is developing as expected.”

At a glance, an exam might include: vision screening, dental screening, hearing screening, physical exam (height, weight, general exam), developmental and behavioral screening, healthy diet counseling, health education for parents and teens, substance abuse education, and more!

Immunizations are also an important part of a Well Child Checkup – the American Academy of Pediatrics has this handy Immunization Schedule that will let you know when your child should expect to receive them.

To learn more about how to prepare for the Well Child Checkup, what to expect during your checkup, and what happens after the checkup is over, please check out this Family Tip Sheet!

Why are Well Child Checkups Important?

Well Child Checkups can:

  • find health problems before a child looks or feels sick
  • help prevent future illness
  • help children perform better in school since healthy kids are absent less due to illness

Better outcomes are possible when a doctor can find and take care of a health problem early!

What is the difference between a sports physical and a Well Child Checkup?

The Well Child Checkup is a complete exam that screens for more than just your child’s physical capabilities, and will satisfy the school sport participation requirement. While a sports physical typically costs $20 and is completely out-of-pocket, Medicaid covers Well Child Checkups 100%!

Please ask your primary care physician to perform a Well Child Checkup in place of the sports physical!

How often will my child need a Well Child Checkup and what will the doctor cover at the visit?

The American Academy of Pediatrics has outlined that children should be seen at least 30 times from infancy through age 21 (to view parent and patient handouts, click the links for any of the ages):

For a one-page “quick view” of what will be covered during a Well Child Checkup for each age, please see the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Periodicity Schedule!

Ready to schedule a Well Child Checkup?

YES! Just call up your pediatrician or family doctor and get one scheduled today! If you need help finding a doctor, please use our “Find a Doctor” search tool!

This page was last updated on December 29, 2021.