Williston Medicaid providers received at least $17,096 for COVID-19 services in 2024

Data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Medicaid Provider Spending database shows Medicaid providers in Williston were paid at least $17,096 in 2024 for services connected to HCPCS codes explicitly tied to COVID-19.

Medicaid is a government health insurance program operated by states and financed through a partnership between federal and state governments. The program covers low-income individuals and families, seniors, children and people with disabilities, and constitutes a significant segment of the U.S. health care industry.

Since Medicaid payments are funded by taxpayers, adjustments in local billing levels indicate how public health care resources are distributed within each community.

For this report, COVID-19–related services were recognized using HCPCS codes specified or classified as “COVID-19” or “coronavirus”-related within billing descriptions or related data. Accordingly, the totals only include services clearly billed as COVID-related and exclude any pandemic-related services charged under broader or other medical codes.

Burlington led Vermont in total Medicaid payments tied to COVID-19 services in 2024, reaching $28,461 in virus-related billings for comparison.

Williston saw two providers issue Medicaid claims for COVID-19–related services in 2024. Among the codes billed most frequently was COVID-19 Vaccine Administration, which made up $13,960 of the total.

Williston’s average Medicaid payment per provider for COVID-19–related services reached $8,548, which was higher than the state average of $3,153.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services reports that overall state and federal Medicaid spending was about $871.7 billion for fiscal year 2023, making up around 18% of total national health expenditures. That figure represented a sharp increase from roughly $613.5 billion in 2019, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This increase reflects approximately 40% growth within a few years, mainly attributed to expanded enrollment and increased use of services during and after the pandemic.

Recent federal budget measures during the Trump administration have included major proposals to shrink federal Medicaid spending and restructure the program. The “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” signed in 2025, is expected to cut more than $1 trillion in federal Medicaid funding over the next decade, introducing measures such as work requirements and higher cost-sharing, which could restrict coverage and funding for some recipients. These changes are likely to place more fiscal responsibility on states and limit the amount of federal aid, even as Medicaid continues to support tens of millions nationwide.

Note: Includes HCPCS codes specifically labeled for COVID-19 services; totals do not account for all health care spending related to the pandemic.

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