Medicare Benefits Expanded To Cover Smoking Cessation
This week, HHS officials announced an expansion of Medicare benefits aimed at helping more elderly individuals end their tobacco habits. Under the new policy, Medicare beneficiaries would be covered for up to two tobacco cessation counseling attempts annually, including up to four unique sessions per attempt. Under the previous policy, beneficiaries were covered for tobacco-related counseling only if they already were diagnosed with a tobacco-related disease.
- "Medicare Expands Coverage of Tobacco Cessation" (Lillis, "Healthwatch," The Hill, 8/25).