Santa Clara Medicaid paid $540,380 for COVID-19 services in 2024, state data shows

Santa Clara’s Medicaid program disbursed a minimum of $540,380 in 2024 for services billed to HCPCS codes specifically tied to COVID-19, according to figures from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Medicaid Provider Spending database. That total marks an increase of 1,231.4% over the prior year, when providers submitted $40,587 in claims for the same codes.

Medicaid, a public health insurance program administered by states and financially supported by both federal and state governments, covers low-income individuals and families, as well as seniors, children, and people with disabilities. The program ranks among the largest components of the U.S. health care system.

Since Medicaid funding ultimately comes from taxpayers, fluctuations in local billing reflect changes in how public health care resources are used within a community.

For this data review, services classified as COVID-19–related were identified by HCPCS codes designated or described as “COVID-19” or “coronavirus” in billing references. These totals include only services directly linked to COVID-19 as categorized in billing information and exclude care associated with the pandemic that may fall under other medical coding.

In comparison, San Jose reported the highest sum of Medicaid payments attributed to COVID-19 services in California in 2024, reaching $5,601,479 in virus-specific claims.

Within Santa Clara, two providers submitted Medicaid claims for COVID-19–specific services in 2024. The most frequently billed code was COVID-19 Vaccine Administration, amounting to $490,874.

On average, Santa Clara providers received $270,190 from Medicaid for COVID-19–related services—more than the state per-provider average of $52,976.

COVID-19–specific services formed a significant portion of Medicaid spending growth in Santa Clara during the pandemic years.

Total Medicaid payments in all other claim categories rose by $15,882,632 from 2020 to 2024, representing a 588.1% overall increase over that period.

According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, federal and state Medicaid expenditures reached an estimated $871.7 billion in fiscal year 2023, which was about 18% of all national health care spending—a steep jump from around $613.5 billion in 2019, prior to the pandemic’s onset.

This change reflects nearly 40% growth within a few years, much of it due to rising enrollment and higher service use during and after the pandemic.

Recent federal budgets passed under the Trump administration feature major proposed reductions in federal Medicaid outlays and policy changes. The “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” which became law in 2025, is expected to reduce federal Medicaid funding by more than $1 trillion over the next 10 years. The legislation introduces work requirements and increased cost-sharing that could restrict access and reduce benefits for some enrollees. As a result, states may carry a larger share of Medicaid’s costs and may face limitations on federal funding growth, while the program continues to serve tens of millions across the U.S.

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

This article uses data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Medicaid Provider Spending database. The original source data can be accessed here.