Medicaid paid $517 for COVID-19 services in Grafton in 2024, data show

At least $517 in Medicaid funds were paid in Grafton in 2024 for services billed under HCPCS codes directly associated with COVID-19, based on records from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Medicaid Provider Spending database.

Medicaid, operated by the states and funded jointly by federal and state governments, insures low-income individuals and families, seniors, children and people with disabilities and is among the largest elements of the U.S. health care system.

Since Medicaid spending is sourced from taxpayers, fluctuations in local billing levels reflect how public health care dollars are distributed in specific communities.

COVID-19 services were counted in this analysis if HCPCS codes were marked as “COVID-19” or “coronavirus”-related in billing records or supporting reference materials. Therefore, these totals cover only care explicitly labeled as COVID-related and may not account for pandemic services billed under less specific or different medical codes.

In comparison, Bismarck posted the highest total of Medicaid payments tied to COVID-19 services in North Dakota in 2024, with $14,990 in virus-related claims.

The data indicate Walsh County Health District was the only medical provider that submitted Medicaid claims for COVID-19 services in Grafton in 2024.

Medicaid spending for COVID-19–specific services contributed significantly to local Medicaid expenditure growth in Grafton during the peak pandemic years.

During the two years before the onset of the pandemic, annual average Medicaid payments in Grafton were $222,584.

According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, combined federal and state Medicaid expenditures totaled about $871.7 billion in fiscal 2023, making up around 18% of overall national health expenditures—a rise from approximately $613.5 billion in 2019, prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This growth equals an increase of nearly 40% in only several years, mainly driven by a surge in enrollment and greater use of services during and after the pandemic period.

Recent federal budget measures during the Trump administration have included major proposals to cut federal Medicaid support and reshape the current model. The “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” signed in 2025, is expected to reduce federal Medicaid funding by more than $1 trillion over 10 years and implements elements such as work requirements and increased cost-sharing, which could affect benefits and financial protections for some users. The legislation is likely to shift added responsibility to states and constrain future federal growth, while the program continues to serve tens of millions nationwide.

Note: Includes HCPCS codes explicitly labeled for COVID-19 services; totals do not represent all pandemic-related health care spending.

Data for this story was sourced from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Medicaid Provider Spending database. Source information is available here.