January 30, 2012   At a time when financial resources for tobacco control are scarce, a new federal law expands insurance coverage to cover tobacco cessation services. Under the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), private insurance plans as well as Medicaid must now cover tobacco cessation services with little to no cost sharing for patients. While we acknowledge this as an important step toward universal insurance coverage for comprehensive tobacco cessation services, it must be pointed out that the ACA law only requires mandatory coverage for pregnant women covered by Medicaid, leaving other Medicaid beneficiaries out of the mandatory coverage provision. Ironically, this population – mainly of low socio-economic status – represents the group most affected by the tobacco epidemic. Smoking rates among Medicaid enrollees is nearly double that of the general population (37% compared to 21% in 2009).

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http://www.drugfree.org/join-together/tobacco/the-bottom-line-for-new-mandatory-insurance-coverage-of-tobacco-cessation-services