Medicaid could save $ 2.6 billion in the next year if only 1% of beneficiaries quit smoking

Reducing smoking and the badociated health effects of Medicaid beneficiaries in each state by only 1% would save a total of $ 2.6 billion over the next year, according to a new study by UC San Francisco.

The median state would save $ 25 million, ranging from $ 630.2 million in California (if the smoking rate went from 15.5% to 14.5%) to $ 2.5 million in South Dakota (If the smoking rate went from 41.3 to 40.3%), the research revealed.

The study, conducted by Stanton A. Glantz, Ph.D., director of the UCSF's Center for Research and Education for Tobacco Control, is published April 12, 2019 in JAMA Network open now.

"While 14% of all American adults smoke cigarettes, 24.5% of adult Medicaid recipients smoke," said Glantz. "This suggests that an investment in reducing smoking in this population could be badociated with a reduction in Medicaid costs in the short term."

Total Medicaid costs in 2017 amounted to $ 577 billion.

"There is no doubt that reducing smoking is badociated with a reduction in health costs, but it is generally accepted that it takes years to realize these savings, which has discouraged many states from prioritizing Help smokers to quit, "said Glantz.

"While this is true for some diseases, such as cancer, other health risks, such as heart attacks, lung diseases and pregnancy complications, respond quickly to changes in smoking behavior. the prevalence of smoking would therefore be an excellent short-term investment for the physical health of smokers and the financial health of the Medicaid system, "he said.

Percentages of Medicaid recipients who smoke, calculated from data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System 2017, which provides the percentage of smokers in the population of each state, and from the 2017 national survey by health interview , which identifies the Medicaid beneficiaries. in four major regions of the United States (Northeast, Midwest, South and West).

He then estimated the potential savings achieved by Medicaid based on previous research, which showed that a 1% relative reduction in smoking prevalence was badociated with a 0.118% reduction in per capita health expenditure.

Glantz noted that the study only looked at potential savings resulting from the reduction in the total number of Medicaid beneficiaries who smoke. But even if each smoker smoked less, it would result in further reduction in health care costs, he said.

Cost reductions related to tobacco reduction would continue and probably increase over the long term.

"Because some health risks related to smoking, such as cancer, may take years to fully manifest, these savings are expected to increase with each year," said Glantz.

The document shows the projected reductions in Medicaid costs by each state.