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July 3, 2013 by WVCBP
Employer Mandate Delayed – What Does it Mean for WV?

Yesterday evening, the Obama administration made a surprise announcement that it would be delaying the employer mandate, a key provision of the Affordable Care Act, for one year.  The rule, originally slated to take effect January 1st of 2014, requires employers with 50 or more employees to provide health insurance coverage to their workers or…

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July 2, 2013 by Ted Boettner
Actually, West Virginia Has Made Significant Progress with College Attainment

As we've said before, one of West Virginia's biggest challenges to creating stronger economic growth and better paying jobs is increasing the number of workers with a college degree. Unfortunately, as Chris pointed out here and here, the state and the federal government are making it increasingly more difficult  to attend college by raising the…

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June 28, 2013 by WVCBP
Higher Ed Budget Cuts Hurt Competitiveness of College Degrees

by Chris Nyden On Tuesday, the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission (HEPC) approved an increase in average tuition for West Virginia public college students from $5,687 to $6,067. These increases were partly a result of a $30 million budget cut to higher education in the FY 2014 budget. This is just the second time…

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June 27, 2013 by Sean O'Leary
County by County Unemployment Rates in the Mountain State

Below is a map of county unemployment rates for 2012 in West Virginia. Statewide, West Virginia averaged an unemployment rate of 7.3% in 2012. As the map shows, county unemployment levels ranged from just under 5% to over 12%. The county with the lowest unemployment rate was Monongalia, home of WVU, with an unemployment rate…

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June 25, 2013 by WVCBP
The Numbers Are In

Yesterday, CCRC Actuaries, the firm hired by the West Virginia Offices of the Insurance Commissioner to analyze the effect of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), released its report on the expected impact of the health insurance exchange in West Virginia.  The good news is that lots of people will spend less on health insurance and…

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June 20, 2013 by WVCBP
Who Will Qualify for Medicaid Under Expansion?

With enrollment for the new Health Insurance Marketplace just around the corner and the full implementation of the Affordable Care Act hot on its heels, I wanted to take a moment to consider who will qualify for Medicaid under expansion in West Virginia. Medicaid is a health program designed to provide comprehensive health and dental…

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June 18, 2013 by Sean O'Leary
With 3.8 Million Job Openings Last Month, Is There a Skills Gap?

Last month, the Labor Department's Job Opening and Labor Turnover Survey showed that there were 3.8 million job openings for the month of April. Groups like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce have pointed to the number of job opening as proof of a skills gap, arguing that there are not enough skilled workers to fill…

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June 17, 2013 by WVCBP
What Do Rate Hikes on Student Loans Mean for West Virginia Students?

by Christopher Nyden, Research Associate Barring another last-minute agreement, the interest rates on subsidized Stafford student loans are set to double from 3.4 percent to 6.8 percent on July 1. These loans are offered to students who depend on them to attend college. Doubling rates will significantly increase the debt burden for West Virginia college…

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June 14, 2013 by WVCBP
Everything Wrong With the Health Insurance Industry, In One Letter

Today's blog post comes to you courtesy of my new health insurance provider, thanks to a letter I received in the mail yesterday. Ever since I took my first ‘real' job at the state Bureau for Public Health several years ago, my wife and I have had our health insurance through PEIA.  Coming on as…

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