has remained constant at less than 5%. Access to counseling
and pharmaceutical benefits doubles the successful quit rate
and has achieved quit rates of 25% to 30%. Experience in
health plans indicates that access to all cessation services
saves $4 for every dollar invested.
(3) Each adult smoker costs employers $1,760 in lost
productivity and $1,623 in excess medical expenditures. Men
who smoke incur $15,800 more in lifetime medical expenses
than do men who do not smoke. For employers, the ultimate
financial return is between $5 and $6 for every dollar spent
on tobacco cessation.
(4) Because of member transfers between plans, financial
savings and tobacco-related disease reductions are effective
only if universally available to the entire insured
population. Therefore, a mandate on all plans and insurers to
provide cost-effective treatment is necessary and beneficial.
(5) It is the intent of the General Assembly that this
act diminish the Statewide economic and personal cost of
tobacco addiction by making tobacco cessation treatments
available to all smokers. Approximately 22,000 Pennsylvania
adults die annually from smoking-related causes. Tobacco-
related personal health care costs total approximately $6.3
billion annually in Pennsylvania.
Section 3. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Course of treatment." One of the following:
(1) In the case of counseling, treatment consisting of
at least four sessions of counseling lasting at least 10
20170SB0087PN0066 - 2 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30