LEAD SCREENING: WIC RECIPIENTS S.B. 1198: COMMITTEE SUMMARY
Senate Bill 1198 (as introduced 3-29-06)
Sponsor: Senator Martha G. Scott
Committee: Families and Human Services
Date Completed: 5-1-06
CONTENT
The bill would amend the Social Welfare Act to require the Department of Human Services to require all children participating in the supplemental food program for women, infants and children (the WIC program) to receive lead screening testing.
Proposed MCL 400.111l
BACKGROUND
The WIC program is Federally funded and provides nutritional assistance to low-income women who are pregnant or have recently given birth, and to infants and children up to five years old who are determined to be at nutritional risk. The WIC program provides supplemental foods that are high in protein or specific vitamins and minerals, and offers nutritional education and counseling, among other services. In addition, since 2000, the program has provided immunization screening to all participants under the age of two.
Legislative Analyst: Curtis Walker
FISCAL IMPACT
There are about 300,000 children served by the WIC program in Michigan. The vast majority of these children are enrolled in the Medicaid program. Medicaid already requires lead screening testing, so at least 75% of these children are already receiving screening.
The basic screening involves a blood test that costs about $10 to administer. If a positive result is found, then a second test, costing about $50, is done. Thus, the total increase of costs due to the testing should be under $1 million, all GF/GP.
Secondary effects would include follow-up treatment costs for children identified as positive, and potential lead abatement costs. There also would be secondary savings from successful treatment and lead abatement efforts. Both these costs and these savings would be of a much larger magnitude than the testing costs themselves, although the secondary costs and savings are difficult to quantify precisely.
Fiscal Analyst: Steve Angelotti
Analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent. sb1198/0506