Health Disparities

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Title: State Medicaid Coverage for Tobacco Cessation Treatments and Barriers to Accessing Treatments
Date: February 14, 2020
STEEP Categories: Social, Economic
Link: https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6906a2.htm?s_cid=mm6906a2_w
Brief Description: According to the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), individuals who are enrolled in Medicaid have a higher prevalence of smoking cigarettes than those who are privately insured in the United States. This puts those enrolled in Medicaid at a higher risk of developing smoking related diseases and death.
Future Implications: State Medicaid programs can help those enrolled in Medicaid quit smoking cigarettes by covering all evidence-based cessation treatments, removing coverage barriers, and promoting treatments to increase their use.
Overall Impact: This trend will create a new scenario where there will be a large reduction in smoking related diseases and deaths among people in the U.S. due to expansion of care. Being that those who are enrolled in Medicaid are usually individuals of a lower socioeconomic status, cessation treatment coverage and the removal of coverage barriers will have a significant impact on reducing health disparities.
Timeliness (0-5): 4
Impact (0-5): 5
Scope (0-5): 4
Likelihood (0-5): 5