In 2007, 84% of State Medicaid Programs Covered at Least One Tobacco-Dependence Treatment Program

OPEN MINDS Weekly News Wire Strategic Health Care News In 2007, 84% of state Medicaid programs covered at least one tobacco-dependence treatment (TDT) program on a fee-for-service basis. However, 41 of the 43 programs that offered coverage charged copayments for services, 25 limited the duration of treatment, 21 required prior authorization, and 13 required patients to enroll in behavior-modification programs in order to get pharmacological assistance. New Jersey and New Mexico were the only states that offered full access to smoking-cessation services. These are findings of a report titled “State Medicaid Coverage for Tobacco-Dependence . . .