54. What's New in 2008? 2000 Recommendations Changed for 2008 (Continued)
Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence: 2008 Update
Providing Smoking Cessation Treatments as a Covered Benefit:
2000 Guideline: Recommendation: Smoking cessation treatments (both Medication and counseling) should be included as a paid or covered benefit by health benefits plans because doing so improves utilization and overall abstinence rates. (Strength of Evidence = B).
2008 Guideline Update: Recommendation: Providing tobacco dependence treatments (both medication and counseling) as a paid or covered benefit by health insurance plans has been shown to increase the proportion of smokers who use cessation treatment, attempt to quit, and successfully quit. Therefore, treatments shown to be effective in the Guideline should be included as covered services in public and private health benefit plans. (Strength of Evidence = A).