Children's Preventive Care Use Under Two Mature Medicaid Managed Care Plans in California

We investigated the extent to which children continuously enrolled in two mature county-organized Medicaid managed care plans for 6, 12, and 24 months received recommended well-child visits and immunizations. We also investigated whether any improvements in compliance were evident during the period 1989-92. Compliance was low for well-child visits and immunizations at the recommended ages regardless of eligibility group. Although slight improvements in immunizations were made over time, little progress was made in compliance with well-child visits. Continued vigilance is required to achieve the government's goal of 90 percent immunization compliance among 2-year-olds.