State Medicaid Coverage for Tobacco Cessation Treatments and Barriers to Accessing Treatments — United States, 2008–2018
Weekly / February 14, 2020 / 69(6);155–160
Anne DiGiulio1; Zach Jump, MA1; Stephen Babb, MPH2; Anna Schecter, MPH2; Kisha-Ann S. Williams, MPH2; Debbie Yembra, MPH2; Brian S. Armour, PhD2 (View author affiliations)
Summary
What is already known about this topic?
Medicaid enrollees have a higher prevalence of cigarette smoking than do privately insured U.S. residents. Evidence indicates that comprehensive, barrier-free state Medicaid cessation coverage could reduce smoking, smoking-related disease, and health care expenditures among Medicaid enrollees.
What is added by this report?
As of December 31, 2018, 15 states covered all nine evidence-based cessation treatments for all traditional Medicaid enrollees, up from six states at the end of 2008. All but two states retained coverage barriers.
What are the implications for public health practice?
State Medicaid programs can help Medicaid enrollees quit smoking by covering all evidence-based cessation treatments, removing coverage barriers, and promoting treatments to increase their use.
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