Preventive care for children and teens
From well-child visits to recommended vaccines and screenings, getting the right care at the right time can help support your child’s growth, development, and long-term health.
Preventive care for children and teens at every stage
What to focus on to support healthy growth
As children grow, their health needs can change quickly. Well-child visits help your child’s doctor check development, provide recommended vaccines and screenings, and spot potential concerns early.
These visits also give parents and guardians time to ask about things like behavior, nutrition, sleep, school, activity, and other questions that may come up between appointments.ecisions as your health evolves.
Getting the recommended preventive care helps you:
- Monitor your child’s growth and development
- Stay up to date on recommended vaccines
- Identify potential concerns early
- Plan ahead for screenings, school forms, and follow-up care
- Ask questions about your child’s health, behavior, and milestones
Well-child visits help track your child’s health and development
Well-child visits help your child’s doctor monitor growth, development, and overall health. These visits are recommended even when your child feels healthy. They also give parents and guardians time to ask questions, review milestones, and plan for future care.
Immunizations help protect children and teens
Recommended vaccines help protect children and teens from preventable illnesses. Your child’s doctor can help you understand which immunizations are recommended based on your child’s age, health, and vaccine history.
Screenings and development help identify concerns early
Screenings can help your child’s doctor check vision, development, behavior, growth, and other health issues. These screenings can identify concerns early, when next steps may be easier to plan.
Certain preventive care items and services, including immunizations, are provided as specified by applicable law, including the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), with no cost-sharing to you. These services may be based on your age and other health factors. Other routine services may be covered under your plan, and some plans may require copayments, coinsurance or deductibles for these benefits. Always review your benefit plan documents to determine your specific coverage details.
When a preventive visit may include additional costs
A preventive visit can change when your child needs additional care. This may affect the bill you receive for certain services.
Scenario 1: Bringing up illness symptoms during a well-child visit
You schedule a well-child visit to check your child’s growth and development. During the appointment, you mention your child has an earache, sore throat, fever, or cough. Your child’s doctor shifts part of the visit to understand what may be causing the symptoms and may recommend a test or treatment. While the well-child visit is still part of your child’s care, the portion focused on evaluating illness symptoms is diagnostic.
What’s happening
- The visit started as a well-child checkup
- During the appointment, you discussed new symptoms
- The doctor spent time evaluating what may be causing the symptoms
What this means for you
- The clinic may bill part of the visit differently
- Tests or treatment for illness symptoms may not be considered preventive
- Coverage depends on the services your child receives and how they are billedare billed
Consider asking
- “If we talk about these symptoms today, will it change how you bill the visit?”
- “Should I schedule a separate sick visit for this concern?”
Your plan covers preventive services at no cost when they follow preventive care guidelines and you see an in-network provider. Consider asking about billing before discussing illness symptoms during a preventive visit.
Scenario 2: Discussing a new concern during a preventive visit
During your child’s preventive visit, you bring up a concern such as sleep issues, headaches, stomach pain, behavior changes, or trouble focusing. Your child’s doctor may ask more questions, recommend additional screening, or suggest follow-up care. While the preventive visit is still part of your child’s care, the portion focused on evaluating a specific concern is diagnostic.
What’s happening
- Your child’s visit included preventive care
- A new concern was discussed during the appointment
- The doctor spent time evaluating the concern and possible next steps
What this means for you
- The clinic may bill follow-up testing differently
- These services may not be considered routine preventive screening
- Coverage depends on the services you receive and how they are billed
Consider asking
- “Is this concern part of the preventive visit, or will it be billed separately?”
- “Should we schedule another visit to focus on this issue?”
Your plan covers preventive services at no cost when they follow preventive care guidelines and you see an in-network provider, but care used to evaluate a specific concern may be billed differently. Consider asking how the clinic will bill the visit before discussing new concerns.
Scenario 3: Receiving follow-up after a screening
Your child has a routine screening during a preventive visit, such as a vision, developmental, behavioral, or lab screening. After reviewing the results, the doctor recommends follow-up testing or a referral to take a closer look. This follow-up can be an important next step, but it is focused on evaluating a specific result rather than routine preventive care.
What’s happening
- The original screening was part of preventive care
- Follow-up was recommended based on a screening result
- The goal of the follow-up is to evaluate a specific finding
What this means for you
- The clinic may bill follow-up testing or referrals differently
- These services may not be considered routine preventive screening
- Coverage depends on the services your child receives and how they are billed
Consider asking
- “Is this follow-up considered diagnostic?”
- “What should I expect for next steps or costs?”
While the initial screening may be covered at no cost when it follows preventive care guidelines, follow-up testing evaluates a result and may generate a bill. Before the follow-up appointment, consider asking how the clinic will bill the service.
Scenario 4: Managing an ongoing condition
You schedule a preventive visit and also check on conditions, such as asthma, allergies, ADHD, or an obesity-related health concern. During the visit, your child’s doctor reviews symptoms, medication, progress, or ongoing treatment. While the preventive visit is still part of your child’s care, the portion focused on managing an existing condition is diagnostic.
What’s happening
- Your child’s visit included preventive care
- The doctor reviewed an existing condition during the appointment
- Part of the visit focused on managing that condition
What this means for you
- Care related to an existing condition is not considered preventive
- The clinic may bill this portion of the visit separately
- Coverage depends on the services your child receives and how they are billed
Consider asking
- “Will managing this condition be billed separately?”
- “Should I schedule a follow-up visit for this condition?”
Your plan covers preventive services at no cost when they follow preventive care guidelines and you see an in-network provider, but the clinic may bill care related to an existing condition differently. Consider asking how managing your child’s condition during a preventive visit may affect coverage.
See the screenings and vaccines you need to stay healthy.
Visit MyHealthFinder to get personalized recommendations for preventive care.
Preventive care is covered at no cost
Preventive care includes the services your child gets as part of a routine wellness exam. Your child’s doctor will assess growth, development, and overall health, and recommend the screenings and vaccines your child may need. You pay $0 out-of-pocket for many in-network preventive care services.
Preventive care for children and teens
- Well-child visits and exams
- Preventive services based on Bright Futures Guidelines
- Recommended childhood and teen immunizations
- Vision-related screenings, including amblyopia and strabismus screening for children ages 3-5
- Examinations performed on the day of immunizations, ages 3-21
- Screening exams for qualifying premature infants or infants with low birth weight
- Obesity screening, counseling, and referral
- In-network facility and lab services directly related to covered in-network preventive care
Find recommended checkups, screenings, and vaccines based on your child’s age and health, and understand how preventive care guidelines and your benefits determine what is covered at no cost.
Questions about preventive care for children and teens
Answers to these questions can help parents and guardians understand what preventive care includes, what is covered at no cost, when costs may apply, and how to stay on track with recommended checkups, screenings, and vaccines.
How can I prepare for my child’s preventive visit?
A little preparation can help you get more from your child’s visit and make sure important questions are covered.
What to bring
- Your child’s current medication list
- Immunization records, if available
- School, sports, or childcare forms
- Notes about growth, behavior, sleep, eating, or development
Questions you want to ask the doctor
What to do
- Confirm the appointment is scheduled as a preventive visit
- Ask what vaccines or screenings may be due
- Schedule follow-up care before leaving the appointment, if recommended
Why this matters
- Preventive visits are a chance to plan your child’s care
- Being prepared helps your doctor understand changes over time
- It also helps you track vaccines, screenings, and next steps
What to ask
- “What should we focus on at this stage?”
- “Are there any screenings or vaccines due?”
- “When should we come back for the next visit?”
How often should my child have a well-child visit?
A little preparation can help you get more from your child’s visit and make sure important questions are covered.
What to bring
- Your child’s current medication list
- Immunization records, if available
- School, sports, or childcare forms
- Notes about growth, behavior, sleep, eating, or development
- Questions you want to ask the doctor
What to do
- Confirm the appointment is scheduled as a preventive visit
- Ask what vaccines or screenings may be due
- Schedule follow-up care before leaving the appointment, if recommended
Why this matters
- Preventive visits are a chance to plan your child’s care
- Being prepared helps your doctor understand changes over time
- It also helps you track vaccines, screenings, and next steps
What to ask
- “What should we focus on at this stage?”
- “Are there any screenings or vaccines due?”
- “When should we come back for the next visit?”
What happens during a well-child visit?
A well-child visit is preventive care focused on your child’s growth, development, and overall health.
Your child’s visit may include
- Height, weight, and growth review
- Developmental or behavioral questions
- Vision or other age-appropriate screenings
- Review of recommended vaccines
- Discussion of nutrition, sleep, activity, school, or safety
- Time for parent or guardian questions
Why this matters
- Well-child visits help your doctor understand your child’s health over time
- They create a routine opportunity to ask questions before concerns become more serious
- They help families plan future care, vaccines, and screenings
What to ask
- “Is my child growing and developing as expected?”
- “What vaccines or screenings are due?”
- “What should we focus on before the next visit?”
How do I keep track of my child’s vaccines?
Keeping track of vaccines helps ensure your child stays current with recommended immunizations.
What to do
- Ask your child’s doctor for an updated immunization record
- Keep a copy for school, sports, childcare, and activities
- Ask which vaccines are due at each well-child visit
- Schedule the next visit before leaving the appointment
Why this matters
- Vaccine schedules change as children grow
- Missed vaccines can delay school or activity paperwork
- Staying current helps protect your child from preventable illness
What to ask
- “Is my child up to date on vaccines?”
- “Are any vaccines due before school or sports?”
- “When should we schedule the next immunization visit?”
What screenings should my child or teen receive?
Screenings are recommended based on your child’s age, health, development, and risk factors.
Screenings may include
- Vision screening
- Developmental screening
- Behavioral health screening
- Growth and weight-related screening
- Obesity screening, counseling, and referral when appropriate
- Other screenings recommended by your child’s doctor
What to know
- Some screenings are routine at certain ages
- Others are recommended based on your child’s health history or concerns
- Your doctor will explain which screenings are appropriate
Why this matters
- Screenings can help identify concerns early
- Early follow-up can help families get support sooner
- Regular screening helps your doctor track changes over time
What to ask
- “What screenings are recommended for my child’s age?”
- “Are there any results we need to follow up on?”
- “Should we schedule any additional care?”
Can I bring up illness symptoms during a well-child visit?
Yes, but it is important to understand that discussing illness symptoms may change how part of the visit is billed.
What to know
- A well-child visit is focused on preventive care
- Symptoms such as fever, ear pain, sore throat, cough, or stomach pain may require evaluation
- The portion of the visit used to evaluate symptoms may be considered diagnostic
Why this matters
- A single appointment can include both preventive and diagnostic care
- Diagnostic care may include out-of-pocket costs
- Asking questions before discussing symptoms can help reduce billing surprises
What to ask
- “If we talk about this today, will it change how you bill the visit?”
- “Should I schedule a separate sick visit?”
- “Will any tests or treatment be billed separately?”
Are all tests during a well-child visit covered at no cost?
Not always. Preventive care is covered at no cost when it meets specific guidelines, but not every service during a visit is preventive.
Covered at no cost when
- The service follows preventive care guidelines
- It is recommended based on your child’s age and health
- Your child sees an in-network provider
May be billed separately if
- A test is ordered to evaluate symptoms
- Follow-up testing is needed after a screening result
- The visit includes treatment or management of an existing condition
- Services are outside preventive care guidelines
Important to know
- The purpose of the service determines how it is billed
- Coverage depends on the services your child receives and how they are billed
What to ask
- “Is this test considered preventive?”
- “Does it follow preventive care guidelines?”
- “Will my plan cover this at no cost?”