802quits, Vermont’s go-to resource for free tobacco treatment and support, used financial incentives to encourage high-risk Vermonters to utilize services.
The Problem:
In Vermont, the rate of tobacco use among pregnant and postpartum woman is more than twice the national average. Among Vermonters with Medicaid and those uninsured, the rate of tobacco use is nearly 3x higher than those with private insurance. In an effort to increase quit attempts among these populations, the Vermont Tobacco Program developed a program offering financial incentives to individuals who completed Quitline coaching sessions.
The Plan:
In 2012, 802Quits began offering up to $65 in quit tobacco incentives to certain high-risk individuals. Thanks to the success of this effort, as of March 2021, the Tobacco Control Program now offers:
- Up to $250 for pregnant and postpartum woman
- Up to $150 for people Medicaid members and the uninsured
- Up to $150 for people using menthol flavored tobacco products
- Up to $200 for people with mental health conditions
Currently, Vermont is the only state to offer all four incentives.
Additionally, the Tobacco Control Program deployed a robust, paid digital media campaign to raise awareness and drive enrollment among the groups of interest, and to increase health care provider referrals.
The Outcome:
Between March and June 2021, financial incentives were given to 4 pregnant or postpartum callers, 30 menthol callers and 155 Medicaid or uninsured callers.
Additionally, this effort generated these results:
- Among pregnant and postpartum callers, the Quitline saw a 75% increase in calls numbers 1-5 and a 50% increase in calls numbers 6-10.
- Comparing this period’s data to the same period in 2020, the Quitline saw an increase of 16.8% among first-time callers and 6.9% for calls numbers 2-5, which suggests incentives increased calls.
For more details on 802Quits and its cash-value incentive programs, visit https://802quits.org/