Kentuckians persistently use tobacco more than most states in the nation. Medicaid recipients use tobacco at even higher rates than other tobacco users. Kentucky Medicaid covers all FDA-approved tobacco treatment medications and counseling modalities, but these resources are often under-utilized, contributing to persistent use and high rates of tobacco-related illness.
This policy brief describes concerns about the provision of tobacco treatment and recommends practical strategies for enhancing the delivery of tobacco treatment services to Medicaid recipients. The recommendations are based on findings from our exploratory study of facilitators and barriers to providing tobacco treatment by interviewing professionals from Managed Care Organizations serving Kentucky residents.