Medicaid coverage and use of nicotine replacement treatment

Smoking prevalence is disproportionately high among low-income populations. To help smokers who are socioeconomically disadvantaged quit smoking, some states offer coverage of tobacco-dependence treatments, such as nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), to Medicaid beneficiaries. We used US nationally representative data (2003 and 2010/2011 Current Population Survey-Tobacco Use Supplements) and employed a difference-in-difference-in-difference approach to investigate the effects of Medicaid coverage of NRT on the usage of NRT products among Medicaid smokers. Coverage of any form of NRT products increases usage by 20 %.