Loma Linda Medicaid COVID-19 service payments reach $97,262 in 2024

Providers in Loma Linda billed Medicaid for at least $97,262 in 2024 for services tied to HCPCS codes specifically linked to COVID-19, data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Medicaid Provider Spending database shows.

Medicaid is a public health insurance program administered by the states and funded through a partnership between federal and state governments. It provides coverage for low-income persons and families, children, seniors and people with disabilities, making it a significant element of the U.S. health care system.

Because taxpayer dollars fund Medicaid payments, shifts in local billing reflect how public health care funds are deployed in a region.

This review used HCPCS codes categorized or described as “COVID-19” or “coronavirus”-related to identify COVID-19-specific services. These figures only capture claims using those precise codes and do not account for pandemic care billed through broader or other codes.

San Jose had the highest Medicaid payments for COVID-19-related services in California in 2024, totaling $5,601,479 in claims.

In comparison, the average Medicaid payment per provider in Loma Linda for COVID-19–related care was $48,631, less than the state average of $52,976.

COVID-19-specific services made up a substantial portion of Medicaid spending growth in Loma Linda during the pandemic years.

Across all other claim categories, total Medicaid payments increased by $38,840,005 between 2020 and 2024, representing a rise of 65.4%.

According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, total combined federal and state Medicaid expenditures stood at about $871.7 billion in fiscal year 2023. That totaled around 18% of U.S. health spending and was a steep rise from roughly $613.5 billion in 2019, prior to the COVID-19 outbreak.

This reflects an increase of about 40% in just a few years, driven by higher enrollment and more use of services during and after the pandemic.

The Trump administration’s recent federal budget legislation has advanced measures to cut federal Medicaid funding and redefine the program. The “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” signed into law in 2025, is projected to trim over $1 trillion from federal Medicaid funds over the coming decade and adds provisions like work requirements and greater cost-sharing, potentially reducing coverage for some enrollees. These policies may put greater financial responsibility on states and reduce federal Medicaid growth while the program remains a critical resource for millions.

Note: Includes only HCPCS codes with explicit COVID-19 service labels; totals do not encompass all types of pandemic-related health expenditures.

Data cited in this article is sourced from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Medicaid Provider Spending database. The original source data is available here.