COVID-19 services generated $1,390 in Medicaid payments in Dickson City for 2024

In 2024, Medicaid payments for services billed with HCPCS codes specifically assigned to COVID-19 in Dickson City totaled at least $1,390, based on figures from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Medicaid Provider Spending database.

Medicaid, a public health insurance initiative overseen by states with funding from both federal and state sources, covers low-income individuals and families, seniors, children, and people with disabilities. This makes it one of the largest components of the U.S. health care system, according to the Commonwealth Fund.

Because Medicaid is funded by taxpayers, fluctuations in local billing help illustrate how public health spending is distributed within communities.

For this report, services counted as COVID-19 related were identified through HCPCS codes marked as “COVID-19” or “coronavirus” in billing details or reference classifications. Therefore, only services directly recognized as COVID related within billing records are reflected; other care linked to the pandemic billed under broader or alternate codes is not included.

Pittsburgh led Pennsylvania in Medicaid payments attributed to COVID-19 services in 2024, with claims amounting to $266,441.

To provide perspective, Dickson City’s average Medicaid payment per provider for COVID-19–associated services was $695, significantly below the statewide average of $6,645.

During the pandemic years, services designated specifically for COVID-19 contributed to a measurable increase in Medicaid spending in Dickson City.

Medicaid payments for all claim categories except COVID-19 rose by $1,428,285 between 2021 and 2024, a 92.7% increase.

Average yearly Medicaid payments for Dickson City in the two years prior to the pandemic stood at $97,460.

According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, joint federal and state Medicaid outlays totaled about $871.7 billion during fiscal year 2023, roughly 18% of total U.S. health expenditures. That marks a sharp rise from nearly $613.5 billion in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic.

This marks close to 40% growth in just a few years, largely influenced by increased enrollment and greater use of Medicaid throughout and after the pandemic period.

Recent federal budget actions under the Trump administration included major proposals to restrict federal funding for Medicaid and restructure the program. For example, the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” signed in 2025, is expected to reduce federal Medicaid spending by over $1 trillion over the next decade. The law also implements work requirements and higher cost-sharing, which could reduce both coverage and funding for some participants. These policies are projected to increase financial responsibility for states and slow federal funding growth, while the Medicaid program continues to provide coverage for millions of people in the U.S.

Note: Totals reflect only HCPCS codes explicitly identified for COVID-19 services; these figures do not reflect all health care spending related to the pandemic.

Data provided in this report is sourced from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Medicaid Provider Spending database. The source dataset is available here.