John, There has never been a more important time to help tobacco users quit! We’ve seen that COVID-19 has disproportionately impacted African Americans, other communities of color, low income communities and those vulnerable to health disparities. And, health experts are warning that smoking and vaping can make the virus even more dangerous.
That’s why we strongly support legislation introduced in Congress this week to make sure Medicaid enrollees have access to the help they need to quit smoking. | |
H.R. 7926, the Quit Because of COVID-19 Act, introduced by Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester, would tackle a long-simmering problem that's now become urgent.  Because of tobacco industry targeting of vulnerable communities, Medicaid enrollees now smoke at over twice the rate of adults with private insurance. They desperately need access to life-saving tobacco cessation treatments – especially now. Due to this high smoking rate, many Medicaid enrollees aren't just more susceptible to COVID-19, they're at increased risk of cancer, heart disease, COPD, diabetes and other tobacco-caused diseases. In fact, smoking-related diseases currently account for about $39 billion in annual Medicaid costs. It's no wonder. Medicaid enrollees often lack coverage for all proven tobacco cessation treatments. But we now have a chance to start fixing that. Lasting until two years after the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency, the Quit Because of COVID-19 Act would: - Provide all Medicaid and Children Health Insurance Program (CHIP) enrollees with comprehensive coverage for evidence-based tobacco cessation treatments, including individual, group and telephone counseling and all seven FDA-approved medications.
- Reduce barriers to accessing this coverage by eliminating cost sharing and prior authorization requirements.
- Provide enhanced federal funding to cover the full cost of this coverage and state outreach campaigns to educate providers and Medicaid and CHIP enrollees about the tobacco cessation benefit.
This legislation will help to reduce the glaring health disparities facing our nation, save lives and improve health among Medicaid and CHIP enrollees, and reduce health care costs. It deserves strong support and prompt consideration from Congress. Send a message to your representative asking them to cosponsor the Quit Because of COVID-19 Act today. Sincerely, | |
