Providers in Natchitoches submitted $17,222 in Medicaid claims for services falling under the Anesthesia category in 2024, based on figures from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Medicaid Provider Spending database. This represented a 44.8% rise over the $11,893 billed in 2023 for similar services.
Medicaid, a taxpayer-funded program managed by the states and supported by both state and federal governments, serves low-income people and families, seniors, children and individuals with disabilities. It stands as one of the largest segments of the U.S. health care system.
Because Medicaid dollars are drawn from public sources, shifts in local billing reflect how health care resources are distributed in individual communities.
The Anesthesia category groups Medicaid services based on the specific type of care delivered, using standardized HCPCS and CPT codes. For this analysis, individual billing codes were categorized into groups by prefix and number ranges to enable comparison across services, prevent double counting and maintain accurate rankings over different periods.
While increases were seen in several provider service areas, Anesthesia ranked 16th by total Medicaid payments in Natchitoches in 2024.
Statewide in Louisiana, the Anesthesia category also held the 16th rank by Medicaid payments in 2024.
Across the five-year period ending in 2024, Medicaid payments associated with Anesthesia in Natchitoches grew by $2,617, or 17.9%. More rapid growth occurred during select periods, with significant increases noted in 2021 and 2022.
Funds for Anesthesia-related care were distributed citywide, yet concentrated in certain ZIP codes. For 2024, 71457 accounted for $17,221 in Medicaid payments for Anesthesia, representing 100% of spending in this category for the city.
Medicaid reimbursements within the Anesthesia category were highly concentrated among a few billing codes.
To compare, between 2024 and 2023, Anesthesia-related Medicaid payments in Natchitoches rose 44.8%, a larger change than the 13.9% increase seen across all Medicaid categories in the city for that same time frame.
According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, federal and state Medicaid expenditures reached approximately $871.7 billion in fiscal year 2023—about 18% of the country’s overall health expenditures—up sharply from roughly $613.5 billion in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic.
This change amounts to a 40% jump in just a few years, driven mainly by increased enrollment and greater service utilization during and after the pandemic.
Recent federal budget measures during the Trump administration introduced major changes to federal Medicaid funding, including proposals for substantial cuts and policy modifications. The “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” signed into law in 2025, is expected to reduce federal Medicaid funding by over $1 trillion over the next decade. The legislation also enacts work mandates and expands cost-sharing, potentially lowering both coverage and funding for select Medicaid recipients. These changes are likely to push more financial responsibility onto states and check the growth of federal Medicaid assistance, even as the program remains vital for millions in the U.S.
| Year | Total Medicaid Payments | % Change From Previous Year |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | $14,605 | -42.2% |
| 2021 | $24,272 | 66.2% |
| 2022 | $23,542 | -3% |
| 2023 | $11,893 | -49.5% |
| 2024 | $17,221 | 44.8% |
| Rank | Category | Medicaid Payments | Share of City Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Temporary National Codes (Non-Medicare) | $6,256,969 | 28.1% |
| 2 | National Codes Established for State Medicaid Agencies | $6,220,694 | 27.9% |
| 3 | Evaluation and Management | $3,583,523 | 16.1% |
| 4 | Alcohol and Drug Abuse Treatment | $3,175,048 | 14.2% |
| 5 | Medicine Services and Procedures | $930,428 | 4.2% |
| 6 | Pathology and Laboratory Procedures | $512,386 | 2.3% |
| 7 | Procedures / Professional Services | $379,106 | 1.7% |
| 8 | Ambulance and Other Transport Services and Supplies | $357,492 | 1.6% |
| 9 | Radiology Procedures | $241,499 | 1.1% |
| 10 | Durable Medical Equipment | $224,895 | 1% |
| 11 | Surgery | $188,412 | 0.8% |
| 12 | Medical And Surgical Supplies | $78,768 | 0.4% |
| 13 | Vision Services | $59,523 | 0.3% |
| 14 | Drugs Administered Other than Oral Method | $50,104 | 0.2% |
| 15 | Dental Services | $18,063 | 0.1% |
| 16 | Anesthesia | $17,221 | 0.1% |
| 17 | Durable medical equipment (DME) Medicare administrative contractors (MACs) | $4,984 | <0.1% |
| 18 | Temporary Codes | $122 | <0.1% |
| HCPCS Code | Description | Medicaid Payments | Claims |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01967 | Neuraxl lbr anes vag dlvr | $10,981 | 3 |
| 01961 | Anes cesarean delivery only | $6,240 | 1 |
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.
