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. 2018 Dec;53(6):4725-4746.
doi: 10.1111/1475-6773.12979. Epub 2018 May 27.

Does State Medicaid Coverage of Smoking Cessation Treatments Affect Quitting?

Deliana Kostova  1 , Xin Xu  2 , Stephen Babb  2 , Sara B McMenamin  3 , Brian A King  2
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Does State Medicaid Coverage of Smoking Cessation Treatments Affect Quitting?

Deliana Kostova et al. Health Serv Res. 2018 Dec.

Abstract

Objective: Cigarette smoking and smoking-related diseases disproportionately affect low-income populations. Health insurance coverage of smoking cessation treatments is increasingly used to encourage quitting. We assess the relationship between state Medicaid coverage of smoking cessation treatments and past-year quitting in adult Medicaid beneficiaries.

Data sources: 2009-2014 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS); 2008-2013 indicators of state Medicaid coverage of smoking cessation treatments.

Study design: A triple-differencing specification based on differences in Medicaid cessation coverage policies across states as well as within-state differences between Medicaid beneficiaries and a counterfactual group of low-income adults not covered by Medicaid.

Data collection/extraction methods: Individual-level NHIS data with restricted geographical identifiers were merged with state-year Medicaid coverage indicators.

Principal findings: Combined coverage of both cessation counseling and medications in state Medicaid programs was associated with increased quitting, with an estimated mean increase in past-year quitting of 3.0 percentage points in covered Medicaid beneficiaries relative to persons without coverage.

Conclusions: Combined coverage of both smoking cessation counseling and medication by state Medicaid programs could help reduce cigarette smoking among Medicaid beneficiaries.

Keywords: Smoking; state health policies; tobacco-dependence treatments.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Average Quit Rates over Time, by Group Source: Authors’ analysis of data from the National Health Interview Survey 2009–2014.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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References

    1. Adams, E. A. , Markowitz S., Dietz P. M., and Tong V. T.. 2013. “Expansion of Medicaid Covered Smoking Cessation Services: Maternal Smoking and Birth Outcomes.” Medicare and Medicaid Research Review 3 (3): E1–22. - PMC - PubMed
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