Smoking: Medicaid Benefits
Medicaid covers treatment to help you quit smoking:
- Quit counseling.
- All seven smoking cessation medications approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
- Five nicotine medications: the patch, gum, lozenge, spray and inhaler
- Two non-nicotine pills: buproprion SR (Zyban® or Wellbutrin®) and varenicline (Chantix®)
- Using two nicotine medications at the same time. This is safe for most people, and can be even more helpful in reducing cravings and other withdrawal symptoms.
It may take you more than one try to quit. Medicaid does not limit the number of prescriptions covered.
Talk with your health care provider to decide which treatment might be right for you.
- To ensure medication coverage by Medicaid:
- Write prescriptions for up to a 30-day supply, with refills as appropriate.
- The daily quantity should not exceed the labeled maximum daily dose for that medication.
- The NYS and NYC Health Commissioners' Letter to Providers (PDF)
- Smoking Cessation Medication Prescribing Chart, Instructions and FAQs (PDF)
- New York State (NYS) Smoking Cessation Counseling Information and Billing Codes (PDF)
- Additional Information and Resources for Healthcare Providers