Pinehurst Medicaid COVID-19 care bills reached $319,356 in 2024

At least $319,356 in Medicaid payments were made in Pinehurst in 2024 for services specifically billed under HCPCS codes tied to COVID-19, based on data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Medicaid Provider Spending database.

Medicaid, a public health insurance program managed by each state and jointly paid for by federal and state governments, serves low-income people, the elderly, children, and those with disabilities, making it one of the major health coverage systems in the United States.

Because Medicaid funding is taxpayer-based, any shifts in billing trends indicate how public health resources are distributed at the local level.

COVID-19–related services for this report were flagged by using HCPCS codes marked as “COVID-19” or “coronavirus” within their billing descriptions or source information. Therefore, these amounts only reflect those services specifically designated as COVID-related, and do not include pandemic care billed under more general medical codes.

Charlotte saw the highest Medicaid outlays attributed to COVID-19–related services in North Carolina in 2024, amounting to $2,373,883 in claims.

The data indicate that Firsthealth Of The Carolinas, Inc was the sole provider submitting COVID-19–specific Medicaid claims in Pinehurst during 2024.

During the pandemic years, there was a significant increase in Medicaid spending specifically for COVID-19 services in Pinehurst.

Across all other categories of Medicaid claims, payment amounts rose by $14,500,102 from 2020 to 2024, reflecting a 98% growth during that period.

According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, joint federal and state Medicaid expenses reached about $871.7 billion in fiscal year 2023, making up roughly 18% of the nation’s total health expenditures. This is a considerable increase from approximately $613.5 billion in 2019, before the COVID-19 outbreak.

This nearly 40% rise in spending occurred within just a few years and was largely due to increased enrollment and usage during and following the pandemic.

Recent federal budget measures under the Trump administration have introduced major changes to Medicaid funding. For example, the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” signed in 2025, is set to reduce federal Medicaid spending by more than $1 trillion over the next 10 years and brings requirements such as work mandates and expanded cost-sharing that could decrease coverage for some members. These updates are expected to put more financial responsibility on states and curb the growth of federal Medicaid investment as the program continues to serve tens of millions of Americans.

Note: Totals include only HCPCS codes clearly identified for COVID-19 services and do not reflect all spending on health care related to the pandemic.

The information in this article is sourced from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Medicaid Provider Spending database. Find the source data here.