Greenville sees at least $7,479 in Medicaid spending for COVID-19 care in 2024

In 2024, at least $7,479 in Medicaid payments were recorded in Greenville for services reported under HCPCS codes specific to COVID-19, based on U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Medicaid Provider Spending database information.

Medicaid, operated at the state level and funded by both federal and state governments, serves low-income individuals and families, seniors, children, and people with disabilities and remains a major component of health care in the United States.

Because taxpayer resources fund Medicaid payments, fluctuations in local billing highlight the allocation of public health funds within a community.

To conduct this analysis, services marked as COVID-19–related were selected using HCPCS codes billed under labels including “COVID-19” or “coronavirus.” The amounts here reflect only services distinctly identified as COVID-related by these codes, so pandemic-driven care billed under other categories is not included.

Charlotte, for reference, had North Carolina’s highest total for Medicaid payments on COVID-19–related services in 2024, with virus care adding up to $2,373,883.

In Greenville, four providers submitted Medicaid claims for COVID-19–related care in 2024, with one of the most utilized codes being COVID-19 Vaccine Administration at $5,515.

The mean Medicaid payment for COVID-19 services per provider in Greenville stood at $1,870, which was notably below the North Carolina statewide average of $37,126.

During the pandemic period, Greenville saw COVID-19–related claims represent a significant factor in Medicaid spending increases.

All other Medicaid claim categories together saw an increase of $73,186,109 in total payments from 2020 to 2024, a rise of 58.8%.

Average annual Medicaid payments in Greenville during the two years before the pandemic were $112,124,520.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services reports that combined federal and state Medicaid spending was around $871.7 billion in fiscal year 2023, making up close to 18% of total national health spending. This marks a significant increase from $613.5 billion in 2019 prior to the pandemic.

This jump in spending equals a growth rate of nearly 40% in just a few years, influenced by higher Medicaid enrollment and more widespread use of services during and following the pandemic.

Recently enacted federal budget laws under the Trump administration called for major decreases in federal contributions and changes to Medicaid’s structure. The “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” signed into law in 2025, is expected to reduce over $1 trillion in federal Medicaid support across the next decade. The new law introduces program changes such as work mandates and increased cost-sharing, which may limit funding and coverage for some recipients moving forward, shifting costs to state governments while the program continues to cover tens of millions of people.

Note: Includes only those HCPCS codes directly labeled for COVID-19 services; overall pandemic-related health care costs may be higher.

This information is sourced from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Medicaid Provider Spending database. Access the original data here.