Bay Minette sees $59,071 in Medicaid billing for COVID-19 care in 2024

In 2024, Medicaid payments in Bay Minette reached at least $59,071 for services coded specifically for COVID-19, based on data provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Medicaid Provider Spending database.

Medicaid is a state-run health program funded through a partnership of federal and state governments. It serves low-income groups, seniors, children, and people with disabilities, and is a major part of the U.S. health care system.

Local changes in Medicaid billing levels reflect the allocation of public health care funding and taxpayer dollars in the community.

This analysis used HCPCS codes listed as “COVID-19” or “coronavirus”-related in their billing descriptions or reference information to identify related services. As such, amounts only cover payments specifically identified as COVID-19 related within billing data and do not account for services tied to the pandemic under broader or alternate codes.

For context, in 2024 Birmingham had the highest total Medicaid COVID-19 payments in Alabama, with $1,029,178 in related claims.

Only two Bay Minette providers billed Medicaid for COVID-19–related services in 2024, with the most used code, COVID Specific, totaling $32,305.

The average per-provider Medicaid payment in Bay Minette for COVID-19–related services was $29,535, compared with Alabama’s state average of $35,056.

Across other Medicaid claim categories, total payments rose by $588,466 from 2020 to 2024, an increase of 66.1%.

According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, combined federal and state Medicaid expenditures totaled approximately $871.7 billion in fiscal 2023, making up about 18% of U.S. health care spending. That’s a significant rise from roughly $613.5 billion before the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019.

This 40% rise in spending was driven by increased enrollment and demand for services during and after the pandemic period.

Recent federal budget legislation signed under the Trump administration incorporated major proposals to trim federal Medicaid support and change how the program is funded. The “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” enacted in 2025, is anticipated to reduce federal Medicaid spending by more than $1 trillion over the next decade by implementing measures such as work requirements and higher cost-sharing. These policies may result in reduced coverage and funding for certain groups, shifting more responsibility to states while Medicaid continues to serve millions nationwide.

Note: Figures reflect only HCPCS codes specifically labeled for COVID-19 services and do not include all pandemic-related care costs.

Sourcing for this article comes from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Medicaid Provider Spending database. Further data is available here.