Health Systems Change

The transformation of healthcare throughout our country has created new opportunities to implement systematic changes to reduce tobacco use, improve overall heath, and enhance services, all while reducing healthcare costs. As promoted by the CDC’s Best Practices for Comprehensive Tobacco Control Programs, AHECs work closely with statewide and local healthcare organizations to assist with the institutionalization of tobacco cessation interventions into routine clinical care. This process helps to ensure that every patient is screened for tobacco use, are advised to quit, and provided with the support and resources needed to stop using tobacco.

AHECs can provide support to organizations with their delivery system design, referral process, clinical information on tobacco cessation, as well as standardizing and delivering regular tobacco cessation education and training to the organization’s staff.

Behavioral Health Initiative

According to new findings from researchers at the CDC, Americans with mental health conditions have a 70% greater likelihood of smoking than the general population. Participation in tobacco cessation efforts while engaged in other substance abuse treatment has been associated with a 25% greater likelihood of long-term abstinence from alcohol and other drugs. AHECs work with behavioral health facilities to provide cessation services to help clients quit using tobacco and support their recovery efforts.

Importance to Healthcare Insurers

Health insurance coverage of tobacco cessation treatment increases both use of effective treatment and the number of successful quit attempts.1 The U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) report Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence: A Clinical Practice Guideline, recommends that healthcare insurers should “include [effective] smoking cessation treatments (both pharmacotherapy and counseling)…as paid services for all subscribers.”2,3 In 2010, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) took a major step to address the significant human life and financial costs of tobacco use in the U.S. by requiring insurance companies and employers to cover tobacco cessation treatment services recommended in the USPHS guidelines with no cost sharing. Unfortunately, private insurance coverage for tobacco cessation services is still relatively uncommon.4