Up in Smoke: The Taxpayer Cost of Medicaid Smoking in Arizona

Katie Ratlief, Executive Director of Common Sense Institute Arizona, joins the podcast to break down CSI Arizona’s new report on the public cost of smoking — and why the burden doesn’t stop with personal health.Ratlief, who previously served in senior leadership roles in Governor Doug Ducey’s administration, now leads CSI Arizona’s work as a non-partisan research organization focused on the fiscal and economic impact of public policy in Arizona. In this episode, she explains how cigarette smoking among Medicaid enrollees remains significantly higher than the statewide average, driving an estimated $182 million per year in excess Arizona taxpayer-funded Medicaid costs.Katie walks through why smoking cessation policy is not just a public health issue, but a taxpayer issue — and why targeted reforms could deliver meaningful savings while improving health outcomes for vulnerable populations.To learn more about Common Sense Institute Arizona and its work on the economic and fiscal issues shaping the state, visit the CSI Arizona website: https://www.commonsenseinstituteus.org/arizona/Follow Light Beer Dark Money on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LightBeerDarkMoney/Follow Light Beer Dark Money on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lightbeerdarkmoney/Follow Light Beer Dark Money on Twitter: https://twitter.com/LBDMshow Follow Light Beer Dark Money on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/light-beer-dark-money/