Under-use of tobacco dependence treatment among Wisconsin's fee-for-service Medicaid recipients

Abstract

Background: Wisconsin Medicaid enrollees are eligible for treatment for tobacco dependence at minimal charge to the enrollee. This paper describes an evaluation of the use of this treatment within the Wisconsin fee-for-service Medicaid program.

Methods: Pharmaceutical claims data for Medicaid fee-for-service patients were analyzed for the year 1999 to determine rates of treatment use.

Results: Of 261,435 adults enrolled in fee-for-service Medicaid for 1 or more months, only 1131 adults received pharmacotherapy for tobacco dependence in 1999 at a modest cost of approximately $135 per treatment user. This represents less than 2% of the adult Medicaid fee-for-service patients who smoke.

Discussion: Few Medicaid fee-for-service enrollees are receiving evidence-based treatment for tobacco dependence, the leading preventable cause of illness and death in Wisconsin. The 16,000 Wisconsin physicians caring for these patients are urged to intervene with every Medicaid patient who smokes. To assist in this effort, the Wisconsin Medicaid program's coverage for tobacco dependence treatment is explained and a series of myths are corrected.