Some States Offering Incentives to Medicaid Beneficiaries to Quit Smoking

More than a dozen states are offering incentives to Medicaid beneficiaries to quit smoking, lose weight and make other healthy lifestyle changes, according to USA Today. These state programs are taking a cue from workplace wellness programs in the private sector.

The programs potentially can save money for state Medicaid programs, the article notes. Medicaid enrollees are more likely to engage in unhealthy practices such as smoking. They are also less likely to get preventive care.

One recent report found financial incentives are effective at improving healthy behaviors, but the effect of the incentives may decrease over time, the newspaper notes.

States that are offering wellness incentives include Iowa, New Mexico, Indiana, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire and Michigan. Montana plans to include such incentives.

It can be difficult to get Medicaid enrollees to participate in incentive programs. In Idaho, a program that offered a $100 voucher to encourage people to quit smoking or lose weight attracted less than 2 percent of eligible adults in two years. Obstacles include getting the word out to enrollees, explaining how the incentives work, and overcoming problems with transportation and other barriers to get to doctor visits or classes that are part of the program.

According to Jean Abraham of the University of Minnesota, much is still not known about what types of incentives are most effective in getting people to change their behavior. “We have a long way to go to understand what’s most effective,” she said.

The Affordable Care Act provided $85 million to test incentives in 10 state Medicaid programs. Some of the states are having trouble getting participants. Connecticut has enrolled only half of the 6,000 people it seeks to reach for a smoking cessation program.