Smoking cessation coverage
This article was originally published in The Tan Sheet
Executive Summary
Indiana Medicaid will cover all Rx and OTC smoking cessation products, Governor Frank O'Bannon (D) announces Nov. 18 - one day before the annual Great American Smokeout. Using data collected from the Journal of the American Medical Association, the New England Journal of Medicine, the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention and others, state government officials believe the added coverage will cost $4.5 mil. over the first year but result in savings of $7.7 mil. after three years. Indiana currently pays over $127 mil. each year to treat smoking-related illnesses contracted by Medicaid patients. The change is expected to go into effect by July; as of last May, 11 other state Medicaid programs cover OTC smoking cessation products, while more than 20 Medicaid programs cover Rx products ("The Tan Sheet" June 1, p. 11)
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