Report Summarizes Medicare and Medicaid Study Findings from George Washington University (How Medicaid and Other Public Policies Affect Use of…

Insurance Weekly News

Report Summarizes Medicare and Medicaid Study Findings from George Washington University (How Medicaid and Other Public Policies Affect Use of Tobacco Cessation Therapy, United States, 2010-2014)

By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Weekly News -- Current study results on Medicare and Medicaid have been published. According to news reporting out of Washington, District of Columbia, by VerticalNews editors, research stated, "State Medicaid programs can cover tobacco cessation therapies for millions of low-income smokers in the United States, but use of this benefit is low and varies widely by state. This article assesses the effects of changes in Medicaid benefit policies, general tobacco policies, smoking norms, and public health programs on the use of cessation therapy among Medicaid smokers."

Our news journalists obtained a quote from the research from George Washington University, "We used longitudinal panel analysis, using 2-way fixed effects models, to examine the effects of changes in state policies and characteristics on state-level use of Medicaid tobacco cessation medications from 2010 through 2014. Medicaid policies that require patients to obtain counseling to get medications reduced the use of cessation medications by approximately one-quarter to one-third; states that cover all types of cessation medications increased usage by approximately one-quarter to one-third. Non-Medicaid policies did not have significant effects on use levels. States could increase efforts to quit by developing more comprehensive coverage and reducing barriers to coverage. Reductions in barriers could bolster smoking cessation rates, and the costs would be small compared with the costs of treating smoking-related diseases."

According to the news editors, the research concluded: "Innovative initiatives to help smokers quit could improve health and reduce health care costs."

For more information on this research see: How Medicaid and Other Public Policies Affect Use of Tobacco Cessation Therapy, United States, 2010-2014. Preventing Chronic Disease, 2016;13():106-114. Preventing Chronic Disease can be contacted at: Centers Disease Control, 1600 Clifton Rd, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA.

Our news journalists report that additional information may be obtained by contacting L. Ku, George Washington University, Milken Inst Sch Public Hlth, Dept. of Hlth Policy & Management, Washington, DC 20052, United States. Additional authors for this research include E. Brantley, T. Bysshe, E. Steinmetz and B.K. Bruen.

Keywords for this news article include: Washington, District of Columbia, United States, North and Central America, Medicare and Medicaid, Health Policy, Medicaid, Smoking, Therapy, George Washington University.