West Virginia faces unique challenges in the face of the COVID 19 crisis, namely an at-risk population for serious illness and complications. This is due to the state’s aging population and large percentage of residents with chronic health conditions. A Kaiser Family Foundation analysis put West Virginia at the highest percentage in the nation of…
Health
The 2020 Legislative Session saw several positive health bills passed with solid bipartisan support. Bad health policy proposals were largely stopped or not considered. The WVCBP thanks partners West Virginians for Affordable Health Care and West Virginia Citizen Action Group. Our three organizations, along with several other individuals and partner groups, advocated for a Health…
Earlier this month, a federal appeals court affirmed the decision of a US District Judge striking down the legality of Medicaid work reporting requirements in Arkansas. This is an important new development on top of federal district courts halting these programs in Kentucky and New Hampshire. While the court decision only applies to the injunction…
Too often, West Virginians are forced to choose between financial/job security and taking care of themselves, a new child, or a seriously ill family member. Recognizing these problems, legislators have introduced three strong bills this session to provide paid family and medical leave (PFML). PFML policies help families achieve financial security, strengthen businesses and the public-sector,…
We are just over halfway through West Virginia’s 60-day legislative session, and there is plenty to talk about. Let’s dive right in. Tax and Budget 2020 has seen the perennial return to eliminate the Business Personal Property Tax on manufacturing, inventory, equipment and machinery. This is a critical source of revenue for our counties’ public…
Poor oral health is widespread in West Virginia. It significantly affects the employability of our workforce, contributes to higher emergency room utilization, and is often both an indicator of and a contributor to other chronic health conditions. According to a 2014 report, only 40 percent of West Virginians have dental insurance.[1] While Medicaid expansion has…
Medicaid’s Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) provisions help ensure that Medicaid beneficiaries including people with intellectual or developmental disabilities, physical disabilities, or mental illnesses, are able to receive services in home-based or community settings rather than in an institutional setting. These critical provisions of Medicaid help beneficiaries fully participate and live in their communities and…
Charleston Gazette-Mail - Earlier this month, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals released a long-awaited ruling on Texas v. United States, a court case regarding the future of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). When the lawsuit was filed last year, it was roundly mocked as frivolous by legal experts on both sides of the political…
Between 2016 and 2018, over 1,500 West Virginia children under the age of six lost health coverage and became uninsured, representing a 69.8 percent increase in the uninsured rate among that population. Over the same period nationally, the uninsured rate increased by only 12.7 percent. West Virginia is one of only 11 states to see…
Increasing affordability for prescription drugs has been a top concern for voters across the political spectrum, with skyrocketing insulin costs at the forefront of conversations. Nationally, the list prices of insulin tripled between 2002 and 2013. The average annual spending on insulin per type 1 diabetic doubled between 2012 and 2016. Source: Health Care Cost…