Keshena Medicaid COVID-19 service bills reach $320 in 2024

Data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Medicaid Provider Spending database shows that in 2024, at least $320 in Medicaid payments were made in Keshena for services billed through HCPCS codes specifically defined as COVID-19–related.

Medicaid, a public health insurance program administered by states and funded with contributions from both federal and state governments, provides coverage for low-income residents, families, seniors, children, and individuals with disabilities. It stands among the largest components of the nation’s health care structure.

As Medicaid spending is sourced from taxpayer money, shifts in local claims reflect changing uses of public health funds within communities.

For this report, COVID-19–related services include only those billed under HCPCS codes with descriptions or classifications marked “COVID-19” or “coronavirus.” This means the totals reflect only those services specifically denoted as COVID-related, excluding broader services billed under other medical codes during the pandemic.

For perspective, Milwaukee was the Wisconsin municipality with the highest Medicaid spending on COVID-19 services in 2024, with total virus-related claims of $561,957.

In Keshena, Menominee Indian Tribe Of Wisconsin was identified as the sole provider submitting Medicaid claims for COVID-19–related services in 2024.

The growth in COVID-19–targeted services contributed significantly to overall Medicaid spending increases in Keshena during the pandemic years.

Medicaid payments for all other service categories rose by $377,979 between 2020 and 2024—a 103% rise.

Looking back at the two years before the pandemic, Keshena averaged $401,100 per year in Medicaid payments.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services report that combined state and federal Medicaid spending was approximately $871.7 billion in fiscal year 2023, accounting for about 18% of all U.S. health expenditures. That figure rose from about $613.5 billion in 2019, ahead of the pandemic.

This increase marks about 40% growth in just a few years, mainly due to higher enrollments and greater use of services during and after COVID-19.

Recent federal budget measures under the Trump administration have included significant efforts to decrease federal Medicaid support and state funding structures. Legislation like the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” signed in 2025, is estimated to reduce federal Medicaid spending by over $1 trillion across the next decade, introducing features such as work requirements and more cost sharing for enrollees. These provisions are expected to transfer increased costs to states and place new constraints on federal Medicaid growth, while the program still serves millions of Americans nationwide.

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

This article is based on data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Medicaid Provider Spending database. You can access the original data here.