Charles City Medicaid bills for COVID-19 services reach $7,201 in 2024

In 2024, Medicaid providers in Charles City submitted at least $7,201 in claims for services billed through HCPCS codes that specifically reference COVID-19, using data drawn from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Medicaid Provider Spending database.

Medicaid, a joint federal and state program, is a public health insurance option for Americans with low incomes, children, seniors, and individuals with disabilities, making it a key part of the U.S. health care system. Funding comes from both federal and state sources. More information can be found at the Commonwealth Fund.

Shifts in Medicaid billing in a community highlight how local health care spending is allocated, since taxpayer money underwrites these payments.

COVID-19–related medical services here were counted using HCPCS codes marked as “COVID-19” or “coronavirus” in their billing descriptions or official references. The reported total includes only those claims with this explicit labeling, and does not include pandemic costs billed under other, wider codes.

For context, Davenport led all Iowa communities in Medicaid claims for COVID-19–related services in 2024, totaling $278,795.

In addition, the average Medicaid claim per provider for services coded as COVID-19-related in Charles City was $3,600—below Iowa’s statewide average of $10,542.

Between 2021 and 2024, the city saw all other Medicaid payment categories rise by $302,717, marking a 16.7% increase.

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services data show that combined state and federal Medicaid spending hit $871.7 billion in fiscal 2023, making up about 18% of total national health expenditures. That is up from $613.5 billion in 2019, ahead of the COVID-19 pandemic’s onset.

The increase of about 40% within several years is linked mostly to rising enrollment and greater health care usage during and since the pandemic.

Federal budget measures during the Trump administration included major plans to trim federal Medicaid allocations and overhaul its design. The “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” enacted in 2025, is expected to trim over $1 trillion from federal Medicaid spending over the coming decade and brings policies like work requirements and cost-sharing, potentially reducing both coverage and funding for certain groups. States are projected to absorb more costs, further restraining federal support, as Medicaid continues providing coverage for tens of millions.

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

This article used data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Medicaid Provider Spending database. The full dataset is available here.