Use of a new comprehensive insurance benefit for smoking-cessation treatment.
BACKGROUND
Uncertainty about levels of employee use of an insurance benefit for smoking-cessation treatment has presented a barrier to employers considering the adoption of such coverage. This study examined self-reported awareness and use of a new insurance benefit for smoking-cessation treatment among a sample of Wisconsin state employees, retirees, and adult dependents.


METHODS
We evaluated the self-reported use of insurance coverage for smoking-cessation treatment during the first 2 years of its availability to the Wisconsin state employee, retiree, and adult dependent population. We conducted analyses of responses to smoking-related questions in 2001 and 2002 cross-sectional surveys of insured state employees, retirees, and adult dependents, weighted to represent this population.


RESULTS
In 2002, benefit use among smokers aware of the benefit was 39.6%, and benefit use among smokers unaware of the benefit was 3.5%. Only 27.4% of smokers were aware of the benefit in 2002; use among all smokers was 13.6%. Of all smokers, 30.4% used smoking-cessation treatment medication (over-the-counter or covered) in 2002. Smoking prevalence was 15.6% in 2001 and 13.2% in 2002.


CONCLUSIONS
In an educated employee population, self-reported smoking-cessation treatment benefit use was modest among all smokers during its first 2 years of availability. Benefit awareness was low in this educated population, which may help explain low use rates, particularly given the 30% of all smokers who attempted to quit smoking with the help of smoking-cessation treatment medication. These data provide use-rate estimates for states contemplating adoption of an evidence-based smoking-cessation treatment benefit.
Burns
Marguerite E
ME
Center for Tobacco Research and Intervention and Department of Population Health Sciences, University of Wisconsin Medical School, 610 Walnut St, Room 667, Madison, WI 53726, USA. meburns@ctri.medicine.wisc.edu
Rosenberg
Marjorie A
MA
Fiore
Michael C
MC
D000328:Adult; D001364:Awareness; D006264:Health Benefit Plans, Employee; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007342:Insurance Benefits / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007348:Insurance, Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004366:Nonprescription Drugs / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015995:Prevalence; D012179:Retirement; D012907:Smoking / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000191:economics*; D013219:State Government; D014922:Wisconsin / Q000453:epidemiology
D004366:Nonprescription Drugs