CDC issues report on Medicaid recipients that are smokers — 5 states boost high rates

The CDC released a report detailing the amount of Medicaid recipients that are also smokers.

Here's what you need to know.

1. Smoking cigarettes contibutes to one out of every five deaths annually with several billions of dollars in related costs.

2. The states with the highest percentages of Medicaid recipients that are also smokers are:

  • Pennsylvania, 53.2 percent
  • Kentucky, 50.1 percent
  • West Virginia, 48.9 percent
  • New Hampshire, 48.8 percent
  • Indiana, 48.3 percent

3. In December 2015, nearly 3.3 million adult smokers also utilized Medicaid.

4. The CDC said 32 states offer some sort of treatment for stopping smoking through Medicaid with nine states covering all types of cessation treatment for smoking. That includes treatments like individual counseling, group counseling and nicotine gum.

5. Treatment is met by at least one barrier to access in all 32 states that expanded their Medicaid program.

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