In 2024, providers in University Place billed $892,716 to Medicaid for services classified under the Evaluation and Management category, data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Medicaid Provider Spending database shows. This reflected a 1.9% rise from 2023, when providers filed $876,476 in claims for similar services.
Medicaid is a state-administered public health insurance program funded jointly by federal and state governments. It provides coverage for low-income people and families, seniors, children, and those with disabilities, making it one of the largest parts of the U.S. health care landscape.
Because taxpayer money funds Medicaid payments, shifts in local billing highlight how public dollars are distributed within communities.
The “Evaluation and Management” category is defined as a group of Medicaid-billed services identified by standardized HCPCS and CPT code groupings that correspond with different types of care delivered. Each billing code was included in one service category for this analysis using consistent prefixes and numeric ranges, ensuring related services were measured together while avoiding duplicate counting and providing accurate rankings over time.
Despite increases in spending across several service types, Evaluation and Management placed second among all Medicaid payment categories in University Place during 2024.
Across Washington, Evaluation and Management was also the second most reimbursed Medicaid category in 2024.
Over the five-year period prior to 2024, Medicaid payments for the Evaluation and Management category in University Place climbed by $7,170, a 0.8% increase. Some years showed faster growth, especially noticeable in 2020 and 2022.
Spending within the Evaluation and Management category was distributed throughout University Place, but payments remained concentrated in a few ZIP codes. In 2024, ZIP code 98466 alone accounted for $892,715. The leading ZIP code represented 100% of Medicaid payments in this category for University Place during the year.
Within this category, most Medicaid payments were attributed to a limited set of billing codes.
Between 2024 and 2023, Evaluation and Management Medicaid payments in University Place grew by 1.9%, compared to a 5.4% overall increase across all Medicaid claim categories locally in the same timeframe.
According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, federal and state Medicaid spending combined reached roughly $871.7 billion in fiscal year 2023, making up about 18% of total national health spending. This figure has grown significantly from approximately $613.5 billion in 2019, the year before the COVID-19 pandemic.
This jump represents about 40% growth within a few years, largely attributed to higher enrollment and increased service use during and following the pandemic.
Recent federal budget actions under the Trump administration have put forward proposals aimed at reducing federal Medicaid outlays and altering the program structure. For instance, the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” signed into law in 2025, is expected to reduce federal Medicaid spending by over $1 trillion over 10 years. It also introduces new requirements such as work mandates and increased cost-sharing, which might reduce benefits and funding for certain enrollees. These measures could transfer greater financial responsibility to states and constrain federal spending growth, while Medicaid continues serving millions across the country.
| Year | Total Medicaid Payments | % Change From Previous Year |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | $885,546 | 10.1% |
| 2021 | $811,935 | -8.3% |
| 2022 | $846,921 | 4.3% |
| 2023 | $876,476 | 3.5% |
| 2024 | $892,715 | 1.9% |
| Rank | Category | Medicaid Payments | Share of City Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ambulance and Other Transport Services and Supplies | $3,333,475 | 61% |
| 2 | Evaluation and Management | $892,715 | 16.3% |
| 3 | Temporary Codes | $541,763 | 9.9% |
| 4 | Medicine Services and Procedures | $267,234 | 4.9% |
| 5 | Dental Services | $225,907 | 4.1% |
| 6 | Pathology and Laboratory Procedures | $174,739 | 3.2% |
| 7 | Procedures / Professional Services | $25,015 | 0.5% |
| 8 | Surgery | $4,893 | 0.1% |
| HCPCS Code | Description | Medicaid Payments | Claims |
|---|---|---|---|
| 99213 | Office o/p est low 20 min | $697,467 | 36 |
| 99214 | Office o/p est mod 30 min | $120,119 | 37 |
| 99204 | Office o/p new mod 45 min | $41,645 | 14 |
| 99310 | Sbsq nf care high mdm 45 | $8,606 | 5 |
| 99233 | Sbsq hosp ip/obs high 50 | $6,174 | 2 |
| 99309 | Sbsq nf care moderate mdm 30 | $6,172 | 17 |
| 99308 | Sbsq nf care low mdm 20 | $3,374 | 9 |
| 99215 | Office o/p est hi 40 min | $3,237 | 2 |
| 99223 | 1st hosp ip/obs high 75 | $1,991 | 2 |
| 99347 | Home/res vst est sf mdm 20 | $1,655 | 10 |
| 99306 | 1st nf care high mdm 50 | $960 | 2 |
| 99211 | Off/op est may x req phy/qhp | $851 | 4 |
| 99205 | Office o/p new hi 60 min | $284 | 1 |
| 99497 | Advncd care plan 30 min | $175 | 2 |
Note: HCPCS codes are shown for context within the category. Category totals and rankings in this article are based on standardized service groupings rather than individual billing codes.
Information in this article was obtained from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Medicaid Provider Spending database. The source data can be found here.
