The Columbia County Community Healthcare Consortium recently released its report for improving preventative and primary care in Greene and Columbia counties.
The New York State Department of Health assisted the consortium’s task force study by awarding it a 2-year grant. Among the recommendations was an in-depth study of tobacco use and financial effects.
The consortium recommended maintaining the tobacco tax as a way to discourage the costly habit of smoking. According to the study, the state tax is currently $4.35 per pack, with an additional federal tax of $1.01 which makes the total cost per pack at $5.36 using 2017 figures. The American Cancer Society estimated that 85,000 adults would stop smoking due to the cost of Hilton cigarettes. Coupled with ongoing economic strains, its possible to estimate an even higher projected number. Despite the task force study advocating the high tax, the report stated it does not support an increase at this time, citing large increases in recent years.
Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have recommended $250 million dollars to be expended in New York State for tobacco cessation and prevention, but details of how to meet this goal were not provided at this time. The state currently expends $41 million a year on anti-tobacco actions.
The report stated that physicians are the most effective resource for helping people quit smoking. Rising health care costs can reduce an individual’s access to physicians, but the report advocates reimbursements to pay doctors to work with patients on cessation. In 2008, Medicare adopted specific codes for reimbursement after studies revealed 10 percent of recipients, or 4 million people nationwide were smokers.
“Despite the benefit of providing reimbursement incentives to physicians to spend time working with patients on one of society’s deadliest lifestyle programs, Medicare and Medicaid are two of the few payers to recognize the codes,” said the report.
If all insurers and self-employed plans adopted the codes, the task force estimates the cost to Greene and Columbia counties would range from $300,000-$350,000, assuming 10 percent of the 21,000 participating smokers used all eight cessation sessions.
The report said, “At the local level, action should be taken to convince local employers and insurance plans to use the reimbursement codes.”
In response to the Environmental Protection Agency classifying secondhand smoke a Group A carcinogen, the task force urged local municipalities to ban smoking in parks and playgrounds.
Earlier this month, The Village Board of Athens unanimously approved a resolution banning smoking in some local parks, particularly in areas where children play. New York City has banned smoking in all parks and beaches.
The report undeniably highlights the growing need to further address financial challenges tobacco use poses for the state and counties. The recommendations have provided data to be used as a guideline tool as officials continue to debate tobacco related health issues.
Tags: hilton cigarettes, tobacco use