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Medicaid Smoking Cessation Coverage

The Report Card examines Medicaid coverage of smoking cessation treatments. Health insurance coverage for cessation treatment increases successful quit attempts.1 This is particularly important for low-income women, who have significantly higher than average smoking rates.2

State Medicaid programs must cover smoking cessation services without copayments for pregnant enrollees; this provision took effect in October 2010. Beginning in 2013, states will receive extra federal funding if they provide these services to all Medicaid recipients, and in 2014 states will no longer be allowed to include smoking cessation drugs on their "Excluded Drugs List."

Does the state’s Medicaid program cover comprehensive smoking cessation treatment?

States receive a "meets policy" if their Medicaid programs cover the three forms of smoking cessation treatment shown to be most effective (over-the-counter treatments, prescription treatments, and smoking cessation counseling). States receive a "limited policy" if their programs cover two of the three treatment categories. States receive a "weak policy" if their Medicaid programs cover only one category of treatment and a "no policy" if they cover none.

State Strength of Policy Change from 2007
Alabama No Policy Same
Alaska Meets Policy Better
Arizona Limited Policy Better
Arkansas Meets Policy Same
California Meets Policy Same
Colorado Limited Policy Worse
Connecticut No Policy Same
Delaware Limited Policy Same
District of Columbia Meets Policy Better
Florida Meets Policy Same
Georgia No Policy Same
Hawaii Meets Policy Better
Idaho Meets Policy Better
Illinois Limited Policy Same
Indiana Meets Policy Same
Iowa Meets Policy Better
Kansas Limited Policy Same
Kentucky Limited Policy Better
Louisiana Limited Policy Same
Maine Meets Policy Same
Maryland Meets Policy Better
Massachusetts Meets Policy Better
Michigan Limited Policy Same
Minnesota Meets Policy Same
Mississippi Limited Policy Worse
Missouri No Policy Same
Montana Meets Policy Better
Nebraska Meets Policy Better
Nevada Limited Policy Same
New Hampshire 3 Meets Policy Same
New Jersey Meets Policy Better
New Mexico Meets Policy Same
New York Limited Policy Worse
North Carolina Meets Policy Better
North Dakota Meets Policy Same
Ohio Limited Policy Same
Oklahoma Meets Policy Better
Oregon Meets Policy Same
Pennsylvania Meets Policy Same
Rhode Island Meets Policy Same
South Carolina Meets Policy Better
South Dakota Weak Policy Same
Tennessee No Policy Same
Texas Meets Policy Better
Utah 4 Weak Policy Worse
Vermont Limited Policy Same
Virginia Meets Policy Same
Washington Meets Policy Better
West Virginia Meets Policy Same
Wisconsin Meets Policy Better
Wyoming Meets Policy Better

Policy Indicator Counts
Meets Policy: 
31
Limited Policy: 
13
Weak Policy: 
2
No/Harmful Policy: 
5
Better: 
19
Same: 
28
Worse: 
4

Data Source: The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, “State Medicaid Program Coverage of Tobacco Dependence Treatments by Type of Coverage,” 2009, available at http://www.statehealthfacts.org/comparetable.jsp?cat=2&ind=85, accessed September 10, 2010.

Footnotes

1 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Coverage for Tobacco Use Cessation Treatments,” undated, available at http://www.cdc.gov/Tobacco/quit_smoking/cessation/pdfs/reimbursement_bro..., accessed September 23, 2010.

2 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 58 “Number 44: Cigarette Smoking Among Adults – United States, 2008,” November 13, 2009.

3 In New Hampshire, group counseling for smoking cessation is covered only for pregnant women.

4 In Utah, individual and group counseling for smoking cessation is covered only for pregnant women.

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