Gary Medicaid COVID-19 billing amounts to $10,756 in 2024

At least $10,756 in Medicaid payments were made in Gary in 2024 for services identified by HCPCS codes tied specifically to COVID-19, according to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Medicaid Provider Spending data.

The Medicaid program is administered by the states, funded through federal and state partnership. It covers low-income families and individuals, children, seniors, and people with disabilities, making it a significant part of the nation’s health system.

Local fluctuations in Medicaid billing reflect how these public health resources are allocated at the community level, since the program is supported by taxpayer funds.

For this review, services were categorized as COVID-19–related using HCPCS codes designated as “COVID-19” or “coronavirus” in provider claim data or reference materials. The statistics represent only billing directly marked as COVID-related and do not include care potentially associated with the pandemic but billed under broader codes.

As a point of reference, Hammond reported the state’s highest Medicaid payment figures tied to COVID-19 services in 2024, amounting to $443,500 in eligible claims.

Two providers in Gary filed Medicaid claims for COVID-19–related services in 2024, with the COVID Specific code alone representing $10,756 of the total.

Average payments per provider for COVID-19–associated services came to $5,378 in Gary, below Indiana’s statewide average of $17,610 for the same period.

Certain years of the pandemic saw increased Medicaid spending in Gary attributed to COVID-19–specific claims.

All other Medicaid payment categories combined rose by $3,249,091 from 2020 through 2024, reflecting a 12.2% increase.

In the two years before the pandemic, average annual Medicaid payments in Gary were $21,624,637.

According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, joint federal and state Medicaid expenditures climbed to about $871.7 billion in fiscal year 2023, approximately 18% of total national health spending, rising sharply from $613.5 billion in 2019, ahead of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This jump marks a roughly 40% increase over a few years, largely due to broader enrollment and higher service use throughout and after the pandemic.

Recent federal budget measures under the Trump administration include major proposals to shrink federal Medicaid funding and alter its structure. The “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” passed in 2025, is estimated to result in federal Medicaid cuts of over $1 trillion over a decade, introducing work requirements and increased cost-sharing for some groups and potentially reducing federal support and coverage. These changes are expected to shift greater financial responsibility to state governments, even as Medicaid continues to cover tens of millions nationwide.

Note: Figures are based only on HCPCS codes specifically marked for COVID-19 services and do not encompass all pandemic-related health spending.

Data in this report were sourced from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Medicaid Provider Spending database, accessible here.