Keroack Jenny L, Kennedy-Hendricks Alene, Winch Peter J
International Health Department, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Health Policy and Management Department, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Environ Health Insights. 2024 Sep 4;18:11786302241274959. doi: 10.1177/11786302241274959. eCollection 2024.
Anthropogenic climate change is increasing the frequency and severity of extreme heat events, leading to increased morbidity and mortality. Many of the populations at greatest risk from the health threats of extreme heat are also more likely to receive health insurance coverage from the Medicaid program. While Medicaid has not historically covered air conditioners, an increasing number of states are offering coverage. Of the Medicaid programs administered by the 50 states and Washington DC, 13 currently offer an air conditioner coverage benefit and 2 have applied to offer coverage to the federal government. Most of these states have obtained various types of waivers under the Social Security Act to cover air conditioners. Section 1115 waivers tend to offer more flexible and holistic coverage. The states offering coverage vary in the types of air conditioners covered, the approximate frequency with which air conditioners have been furnished, and the billing codes utilized. The lack of a specific billing code or procedure modifier code for air conditioners is a barrier to tracking the effectiveness, reach, and implementation of air conditioner coverage policies within and across states.
人为气候变化正在增加极端高温事件的频率和严重程度，导致发病率和死亡率上升。许多面临极端高温健康威胁风险最大的人群也更有可能获得医疗补助计划的医疗保险覆盖。虽然医疗补助计划历史上并不涵盖空调，但越来越多的州开始提供相关覆盖。在由50个州和华盛顿特区管理的医疗补助计划中，目前有13个州提供空调覆盖福利，2个州已申请向联邦政府提供该覆盖。这些州中的大多数都根据《社会保障法》获得了各种类型的豁免以涵盖空调。第1115条豁免往往提供更灵活和全面的覆盖。提供覆盖的州在所涵盖的空调类型、提供空调的大致频率以及所使用的计费代码方面存在差异。缺乏针对空调的特定计费代码或程序修饰符代码是跟踪各州内部和跨州空调覆盖政策的有效性、覆盖范围和实施情况的一个障碍。
