Oct. 21, 2010 -- Most Medicaid programs in the U.S. offer at least some form of health care coverage to enrollees who are trying to quit smoking, but in many states more could be done to help people kick the habit, the CDC says.

In its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report for Oct. 22, the CDC says it surveyed Medicaid programs in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., and found that 47 offered some coverage for dependence treatment in 2009.

The report says 37% of Medicaid enrollees smoke, compared to 21% of the overall adult population. Only eight state programs offered coverage of all recommended drug and counseling treatments; 43 programs would need to add additional tobacco-dependence treatments in order comply with U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendations.

The CDC says smoking-related medical costs account for 11% of Medicaid expenditures.

Of the 51 Medicaid programs surveyed, 47 provided tobacco-dependence treatment coverage for some enrollees and 38 covered at least one treatment for all Medicaid enrollees. Four states -- Connecticut, Georgia, Missouri, and Tennessee -- offered no coverage for enrollees.