• Benchmarks will not be available for this measure until 2022.
• The annual reported rate captures activity during the previous calendar year.  
• This is a Healthcare Effectiveness & Data Information Set (HEDIS) administrative measure.

This measure assesses the percentage of members who had the following number of well-child visits with a PCP during the last 15 months. The following rates are reported:

1. Well-Child Visits in the First 15 Months. Children who turned 15 months old during the measurement year: Six or more well-child visits.

2. Well-Child Visits for Age 15 Months–30 Months. Children who turned 30 months old during the measurement year: Two or more well-child visits.

This measure is based on the American Academy of Pediatrics Bright Futures guidelines for Health Supervision of Infants, Children and Adolescents. In addition to the Bright Futures Guidelines, the AAP publishes a recommended schedule of screenings and assessments, known as the periodicity schedule, that outlines what to do at every visit, from infancy to adolescence. Bright Futures recommends more frequent well-child visits in the first years of life and one or more annual well-child visits from age 3–21. They recommend that the well-child visits include, but are not limited to, an initial/interval medical history, physical exam, developmental assessment, immunization and anticipatory guidance.

A total of eight well-care visits is recommended from the time the child is born to the time he or she reaches 15 months old. The visits that occur before the 15 month birthday are of particular importance because this is the period when an infant undergoes substantial changes in abilities, physical growth, motor skills, hand-eye coordination and social and emotional growth. They are foundational to preventive health care, such as evidence-based screenings and immunizations, because they promote better social, developmental and health outcomes.

The AAP/Bright Futures guidelines also recommend two or more visits between 15 months and 30 months, an important period for early assessment and screenings. Early identification of developmental disorders is critical to the well-being of children and their families. It is an integral function of the primary care medical home and an appropriate responsibility of all pediatric health care professionals. Research shows that early intervention treatment services can greatly improve a child’s development. Early intervention services help children from birth through 3 years of age (36 months) learn important skills.

Last updated:  August 2021