La Grange Medicaid claims for COVID-19 services reach $5,959 in 2024, up 78% from previous year

In La Grange, at least $5,959 in Medicaid payments was reported for 2024 on services billed under HCPCS codes specifically related to COVID-19, as shown by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Medicaid Provider Spending database. This amount marks a 78.5% rise over 2023, when claims using the same codes totaled $3,338.

Medicaid remains a state-run health coverage program funded through joint federal and state resources. It provides health insurance support for low-income groups, seniors, minors, and those with disabilities, making it a crucial part of the nation’s health care system.

Because tax revenue funds Medicaid disbursements, changes in local medical billing reveal how health care dollars are used within the community.

The study identified COVID-19–specific services using any HCPCS code marked or categorized as “COVID-19” or “coronavirus”-related in claims or reference lists. This means only services directly labeled as COVID-related in billing were included, while other pandemic-period care coded differently is not fully represented by the totals.

Louisville reported the highest Medicaid dollar amount connected to COVID-19 services statewide in 2024, with $614,714 in related claims.

In 2024, two providers in La Grange billed Medicaid for COVID-19–related services. Immunoassay was the primary code used, accounting for all $5,959 in this category.

On average, La Grange Medicaid providers received $2,979 each for COVID-19-related claims, well below the $26,845 state average.

Pandemic response efforts drove a visible portion of Medicaid cost growth in La Grange during the key years of heightened COVID-19 activity.

Total Medicaid payments in categories aside from virus-related claims rose by $1,602,111 from 2020 to 2024, increasing 54.2%.

For the two years before the pandemic began, average annual Medicaid payments in La Grange were $2,655,413.

Data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services shows that combined federal and state Medicaid expenditures climbed to nearly $871.7 billion during fiscal 2023, representing about 18% of total national health spending. This compares with roughly $613.5 billion in the year before the COVID-19 public health emergency.

This roughly 40% increase over several years is attributed primarily to increased program enrollment and higher service use during and following the pandemic onset.

Major federal spending legislation approved under the Trump administration has included measures aimed at cutting federal Medicaid contributions and changing the program structure. The “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” enacted in 2025, is forecast to decrease federal Medicaid aid by more than $1 trillion throughout the coming decade. The act introduces requirements such as work mandates and extra out-of-pocket costs for some, raising the prospect of narrower coverage and increased financial responsibility for both beneficiaries and states, even as Medicaid continues to support tens of millions.

Note: Totals include only HCPCS codes directly associated with COVID-19 diagnoses and do not reflect the full scope of pandemic medical expenses.

This article’s information comes from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Medicaid Provider Spending data. To view the original data, click here.