State Medicaid Coverage for Tobacco-Dependence Treatments—United States, 2009

October 22, 2010 / Vol. 59 / No. 41

MMWR Introduction

Medicaid enrollees have nearly double the smoking rates of the general population, and smoking-related medical costs are considered responsible for 11% of Medicaid expenditures. The Center for Health and Public Policy Studies at the University of California, Berkeley (in collaboration with CDC) surveyed Medicaid programs in all 50 states and the District of Columbia to document their 2009 tobacco-dependence treatment coverage. The survey found that although 47 programs (92%) offered coverage for some form of tobacco-dependence treatment to Medicaid enrollees, only 5 states offered coverage for all recommended pharmacotherapies and all counseling for all enrollees. Furthermore, the report shows that while 12 states added or expanded coverage between 2007 and 2009, 16 states reported coverage for fee-for-service enrollees that differed from that provided for Medicaid managed-care enrollees in the same state. It will be important to continue to monitor and address coverage barriers to ensure that all Medicaid tobacco users have access to effective treatments.