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Increasing Coverage of Tobacco
Cessation by Insurance Companies
Almost half of Missouri smokers have tried to quit at
least once. Studies show that takes approximately seven attempts to quit before
they are successful. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
"Smokers who quit smoking before the age of 50 cut their risk of dying by half
in the next 15 years. Costs savings from a smoking cessation interventions would
more than pay than pay for those interventions within 3 to 4 years. Smoking
cessation is more cost-effective than more commonly provided clinical
preventative services, including mammography, colon cancer screening, PAP tests,
treatment of moderate to mild hypertension, and treatment of high cholesterol."
The Agency for Health Care Policy Research (AHCPR) Smoking
Cessation Clinical Guideline includes:
- Covering treatment for tobacco use under both public
and private insurance.
- Eliminating cost barriers to treatment for
underserved populations, particularly the uninsured.
The Missouri Partnership on Smoking or Health is working
with insurance companies to ensure that tobacco cessation classes and products
are covered, by showing the cost benefits. By improving the health of
individuals and reducing tobacco use, we will improve the health of Missouri.
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