Alcoa Medicaid bills for COVID-19 services rise to $24,706 in 2024

In Alcoa, at least $24,706 in Medicaid payments were made in 2024 for services billed with HCPCS codes specifically tied to COVID-19, data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Medicaid Provider Spending database shows. This was an increase of 152.8% from 2023, when claims for these codes totaled $9,773.

Medicaid is a government health insurance program run at the state level and funded by both state and federal governments. Medicaid covers people with low incomes, families, seniors, children, and people with disabilities, and it is one of the major parts of the U.S. health system.

Because Medicaid uses taxpayer dollars, shifts in local billing patterns show how public healthcare funds are distributed across communities.

COVID-19–related services in this analysis are identified by HCPCS codes described or classified as “COVID-19” or “coronavirus”-related in billing or reference documentation. The data only includes services directly identified as COVID-related, excluding any pandemic-linked care filed under broader or alternative medical codes.

Elsewhere in Tennessee, Spring Hill logged the highest Medicaid payments for COVID-19 services in 2024, with $4,274,403 in claims for virus-related care.

Records indicate that Chuc, LLC was the only provider to submit Medicaid claims in Alcoa for COVID-19–related services in 2024.

During the pandemic years, Medicaid spending increases in Alcoa were largely attributed to COVID-19–specific services.

Data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services shows combined federal and state Medicaid spending at approximately $871.7 billion in fiscal year 2023, which made up around 18% of total national health costs. This is a significant increase from about $613.5 billion in 2019, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This change reflects nearly 40% growth within several years, mainly due to expanded program enrollment and increased usage during and following the pandemic.

Recent federal budgets under the Trump administration put forward notable measures to curtail federal Medicaid funding and modify how the program operates. The “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” enacted in 2025, is estimated to cut federal Medicaid funding by over $1 trillion over a decade and adds requirements such as work mandates and greater cost-sharing. These changes may decrease coverage and funding for some beneficiaries, shifting more financial responsibilities to states and slowing federal Medicaid expansion, though the program will continue to support tens of millions of people.

Note: Includes HCPCS codes clearly designated for COVID-19 services; does not reflect all spending for pandemic-related medical care.

This article is based on information from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Medicaid Provider Spending database. Access the source data here.