Medicaid coverage for tobacco-dependence treatments

This paper presents an update on the availability of tobacco-dependence treatments in Medicaid benefit packages from 1998 to 2003 and discusses variation in states' approaches for addressing tobacco cessation. In 2003 thirty-seven states had coverage for at least one evidence-based treatment. Since 1998, thirteen Medicaid programs have added coverage for at least one, while five programs have expanded coverage of these treatments. Overall, the coverage increases indicate a growing awareness of the treatments' importance for the health of Medicaid recipients, although further expansions are still needed.