COVID-19 Medicaid service claims in Bernice totaled $14,410 in 2024

Bernice recorded at least $14,410 in Medicaid payments for services tied to HCPCS codes designated for COVID-19 in 2024, data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Medicaid Provider Spending database shows.

Medicaid is a government health insurance program operated at the state level and funded by both federal and state governments. It provides coverage for low-income people, including families, seniors, children, and those with disabilities, and is one of the major components of the national health system.

With Medicaid funded by taxpayers, shifts in billing amounts highlight how local communities allocate public health care funds.

This analysis identifies COVID-19–related services by using HCPCS codes marked as “COVID-19” or “coronavirus” in either billing descriptions or official reference materials. Figures include only medical services directly coded as COVID-related and exclude those pandemic services billed under other or broader medical code types.

By comparison, New Orleans reported $1,432,965 in Medicaid payments for COVID-19 services in 2024—the highest among Louisiana communities.

Records indicate that Ward 3 4 & 10 Hospital Service District Of Parish Of Union was Bernice’s sole provider submitting Medicaid claims under COVID-19–related services for 2024.

Across all other claim types, Bernice’s Medicaid payments rose by $582,728 from 2020 to 2024, a gain of 100.5%.

Before the pandemic, Bernice averaged $641,203 in annual Medicaid payments across two years.

According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, total Medicaid costs (from both federal and state sources) reached roughly $871.7 billion in fiscal year 2023, accounting for about 18% of all U.S. health expenditures—a significant increase from $613.5 billion in 2019, before the pandemic’s impact.

This jump marks nearly 40% growth over a few years, largely due to expanded programs and higher usage during and after the pandemic.

Legislation enacted under the Trump administration includes major initiatives to cut federal Medicaid funding and change its structure. For example, the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” which became law in 2025, is expected to reduce federal Medicaid funding by more than $1 trillion over 10 years. The act adds measures such as work requirements and greater cost-sharing, potentially lowering coverage and federal spending for some groups. Such moves may raise state costs and reduce the overall growth of federal Medicaid contributions, although the program will continue serving tens of millions nationally.

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

Details in this report are sourced from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Medicaid Provider Spending database. The original data can be accessed here.