HR3590 Health Care Bill & Government Health Insurance

Pushing comprehensive smoking cessation programs may benefit Medicaid in the form of substantial savings, according to a recent study published in the journal PLoS ONE.

According to study leader Leighton Ku of the George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services, their research demonstrates that spending for smoking cessation programs could be a good investment. The programs could lead to lower levels of smoking, which could mean reduced number of hospital admissions for smoking-related problems, translating to significant savings for Medicaid.

The study found that for every dollar spent in smoking cessations programs could generate a $2.12 return on investment. Their estimates were based on data from the 2002 to 2008 Medical Expenditure Survey and the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Surveys.

“Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States. Millions of low-income smokers in the United States are insured by Medicaid. In 2004, smoking-related Medicaid expenditures for all states combined was $22 billion, which represented 11 percent of all Medicaid spending,” Ku explained.

Ku also cited the case of Massachusetts, which launched a massive smoking cessation campaign through medications and counseling of its Medicaid recipients. The state reportedly saved an average of $388 per user per year.