COVID-19 service Medicaid claims surpass $519,000 in South Charleston in 2024

In 2024, Medicaid spending in South Charleston reached at least $519,058 for services billed under HCPCS codes directly associated with COVID-19, based on data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Medicaid Provider Spending database. This total reflects a 61% increase over 2023, when providers submitted $322,495 in claims linked to the same set of codes.

Medicaid is a public health insurance initiative funded through combined state and federal support. It serves individuals and families with low income, as well as seniors, children, and people with disabilities, making up a significant segment of the U.S. health care landscape.

Since Medicaid is taxpayer funded, local claims trends provide insight into how community health care funds are distributed.

For this report, COVID-related services are defined using HCPCS codes identified as “COVID-19” or “coronavirus”-related based on billing descriptions or reference classifications. Therefore, the payment figures only include services overtly labeled as COVID-related on billing records and exclude other pandemic-response care submitted under broader or differently named codes.

Across the state, South Charleston led in Medicaid spending connected to COVID-19 services in 2024.

During 2024, two providers in South Charleston filed Medicaid claims for COVID-relevant services. Among these, the Immunoassay code was billed most frequently, totaling $503,493.

To provide perspective, the average Medicaid payment per provider for COVID-19 services in South Charleston was $259,529, which is significantly higher than the $17,141 statewide average.

COVID-19–designated services made up a measurable part of Medicaid expenditure increases in South Charleston during the pandemic period.

Data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services shows Medicare and federal Medicaid outlays grew to roughly $871.7 billion in fiscal year 2023, comprising almost 18% of national health spending—up significantly from $613.5 billion in 2019, before COVID-19 was widespread.

This rise marks an approximate 40% increase over several years, attributed largely to expanded coverage and more extensive health service usage during and following the pandemic.

Recent federal legislation from the Trump administration has brought forward substantial changes to Medicaid funding structures. The “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” enacted in 2025, is estimated to reduce federal Medicaid expenditures by more than $1 trillion over 10 years and introduces new rules like work mandates and higher out-of-pocket costs, which may reduce both coverage and funding for certain groups. These changes could shift financial responsibility to states and slow the growth of federal support as Medicaid continues to provide for tens of millions of people nationwide.

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

This article uses information sourced from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Medicaid Provider Spending database. The full data set can be accessed here.