Increase Medicaid coverage of evidence-based treatment to help people quit using tobacco — TU‑16 Data Methodology and Measurement

About the National Data

Data

Baseline: 15 states (not including DC) had comprehensive Medicaid insurance coverage of evidence-based treatment for nicotine dependency in 2018

Target: 51 States (including DC)

Numerator
Number of states and the District of Columbia that cover individual and group cessation counseling and all seven FDA-approved cessation medications for all Medicaid enrollees.
Target-setting method
Maintain consistency with national programs, regulations, policies, or laws
Target-setting method justification
The target was selected to align with several statutory provisions, related guidance, and explanatory notices issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which used a target-setting method of adopting 100 percent coverage of comprehensive Medicaid insurance coverage of evidence-based treatment for nicotine by all states.

Methodology

Methodology notes

States that cover individual and group cessation counseling and all seven FDA-approved cessation medications for all Medicaid enrollees are defined as having "Comprehensive Medicaid Coverage of Treatments."

Specifically, comprehensive coverage is defined as coverage of all of the following treatments for all Medicaid enrollees:

  • Counseling coverage:
    • Individual counseling
    • Group counseling
  • Medication coverage:
    • Nicotine Patch
    • Nicotine
    • Nicotine Lozenge
    • Nicotine Nasal Spray
    • Nicotine Inhaler
    • Varenicline (Chantix®)
    • Bupropion hydrochloride (Zyban®)

In the STATE System, this is equivalent to a value of "Yes" in the "Summary" field for "Comprehensive Medicaid Coverage of Treatments."

History

Comparable HP2020 objective
Retained, which includes core objectives that are continuing from Healthy People 2020 with no change in measurement.