title: Does insurance coverage for drug therapy affect smoking cessation?
abstract: Whether insurance coverage for smoking-cessation medicines increases quitting rates is uncertain. In this paper we evaluate the overall effect of a new health plan pharmacy benefit on the use of pharmacotherapy, attempts to quit, and quitting rates. The presence of a smoking-cessation pharmacy benefit as implemented by these health plans produced no change in the use of bupropion, nicotine patches, or nicotine gum, nor did it result in higher rates of quitting smoking. Further studies are needed to test whether greater efforts to make smokers aware of insurance benefits or adding other types of cessation support might lead to any beneficial effects.
authors.affiliation: HealthPartners Research Foundation, Minneapolis, USA.
authors.forename: Raymond G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Boyle
authors.forename: Leif I
authors.initials: LI
authors.lastname: Solberg
authors.forename: Sanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Magnan
authors.forename: Gestur
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Davidson
authors.forename: Nina L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Alesci
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D054598:Blue Cross Blue Shield Insurance Plans; D016642:Bupropion / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000191:economics*; D018765:Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000191:economics*; D016527:Drug Costs; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006279:Health Maintenance Organizations; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D019458:Insurance Coverage; D007356:Insurance, Pharmaceutical Services; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008910:Minnesota / Q000453:epidemiology; D009538:Nicotine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000191:economics*; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D018765:Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors; D016642:Bupropion; D009538:Nicotine