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Medicare to Pay for Smoking Cessation
Seniors who want to quit smoking will soon be able to get reimbursed for the cost of smoking-cessation programs and products by the federal Medicare program, the Wall Street Journal reported March 23, 2005.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said that starting next year, smoking-cessation products will be covered by Medicare if they are prescribed by a doctor. Counseling will only be covered if the Medicare beneficiary has an illness that is caused or complicated by smoking or other tobacco use, such as heart disease; or are taking medications that tobacco use interferes with (including many drugs used to treat diabetes, high blood pressure, and other disorders).
"Covering smoking and tobacco-use cessation counseling for seniors has great potential to save and improve lives for millions of seniors," said CMS Administrator Mark B. McClellan. "This is another step in turning Medicare into a prevention-oriented health program." CMS officials estimate that smoking accounts for about 10 percent of Medicare costs, or at least $20 billion annually.
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