Governor Beshear Commits Funding to Smoking Cessation Programs

Jan 7th, 2010

In his 2010 State of the Commonwealth Address, Governor Steve Beshear committed to use Medicaid funds for smoking cessation programs.

"Another long-standing, costly problem for Kentucky continues to be our smoking rate, among the highest in the nation and directly responsible for $1.5 billion in health-care costs”, Beshear said in the January 6^th address to the Kentucky General Assembly. “The negative impact of our smoking rates - among adults, teens and pregnant women - has been tremendous. Through various efforts, we’ve shown improvement - our smoking rate is now 25 percent instead of 28 percent. But we can do more. We must do more. Many smokers want to quit but need help to do so. So I will be proposing to use Medicaid funds for smoking cessation programs."

“We thank Governor Beshear for his commitment to making a smoking cessation benefit for Kentucky Medicaid recipients a funding priority in 2010,” said KVH member Amy Barkley of the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids on behalf of the Kentucky Medicaid Smoking Cessation Coalition. “This is good health policy and a wise investment that will save Kentucky lives and taxpayer dollars. We urge the Kentucky General Assembly to keep this funding intact as they prepare the state budget.”

The Kentucky Medicaid Smoking Cessation Coalition, a group of more than 30 Kentucky health and business advocates, came together in 2009 to urge the Governor and Legislature to fully fund the comprehensive smoking cessation benefit created by HB 337 in 2007.

“This comprehensive benefit program will provide Kentucky’s Medicaid recipients a proven and affordable way to quit smoking,” said Tonya Chang, a KVH member with the American Heart Association. “By offering a wide variety of tools, such as counseling and medications, this program will help thousands of Kentuckians end their tobacco addiction and save health care dollars. This is precisely the common sense measure that is needed to achieve a positive health rating among other states.”

“Providing smoking cessation coverage for Kentucky Medicaid recipients improves the long-term financial prosperity of the state and is a good investment for taxpayers and an effort that will help save thousands of lives,” said KVH member James Sharp of the American Cancer Society. “The Governor recognized that many people want to quit smoking and simply need help to do so.”

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