Health

February 28, 2023 by Kelly Allen
West Virginia Lawmakers Argue PEIA Premium Hikes are Necessary After Freeze

Mountain State Spotlight - For the more than 200,000 public employees who rely on the state’s health insurance agency, their premiums may soon go up. Lawmakers are also advancing a pay raise for state employees but union leaders say they’re worried that it might not offset premium increases now and in the future. Read the…

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February 27, 2023 by Rhonda Rogombe
Black Communities in West Virginia Know What Policies Could Make Their Lives Better. Now They Need Them to Happen.

Mountain State Spotlight, Fayette Tribune - As Katonya Hart stood outside of the House of Delegates chamber at the West Virginia Capitol,  a sparkly tiara fastened to her multicolored twists, the energy around her was undeniable.  Read the full article. A floor below, the women of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. moved about in coordinated…

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February 17, 2023 by Rhonda Rogombe
West Virginia Lawmakers Considering Medicaid Buy-In Program

Wheeling News-Register - Lawmakers discussed a bill Thursday that would help poor families who make just enough to not qualify for Medicaid gain access to affordable health insurance. Read the full article. The House Health and Human Resources Committee recommended for passage Thursday a strike-and-insert amendment to House Bill 3274, creating the Affordable Medicaid Buy-in…

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February 17, 2023 by WVCBP
Lawmakers Consider Affordable Medicaid Buy-in Program

West Virginia Public Broadcasting - After federal and state level changes to Medicaid, many Americans will be left without health insurance coverage by the end of the year. Read the full article. To remedy the financial strain on West Virginia families, lawmakers are considering a bill to create a high-quality, low-cost health insurance plan for…

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February 9, 2023 by Kelly Allen, Sara Whitaker, Rhonda Rogombe
A Recap of the First Half of the Legislative Session

With a relatively short 60-day legislative session, the bills that get considered—and the ones that don’t—tell us a lot about our lawmakers’ priorities. Now that we are exactly halfway through the 2023 session, the WVCBP team lends insight into what we’ve seen prioritized so far and what we would like to see prioritized during the…

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January 21, 2023 by WVCBP
Wheeling Health Right: Where Free Medical and Dental Services Go Hand in Hand

WTRF - Poor oral health is widespread in West Virginia, but Wheeling Health Right was recognized nationally for their fully integrated medical and dental free clinic.  Read the full article. It significantly affects almost all aspects of life including the workforce, emergency room utilization, and chronic health conditions.   According to a 2014 report from the…

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January 16, 2023 by WVCBP
West Virginia’s Health Insurance Agency Faces a $376 Million Budget Cliff. Lawmakers Moved a Short-term Fix but Haven’t Talked Permanent Funding

Mountain State Spotlight, Beckley Register-Herald, Times West Virginian - Earlier this month, when lawmakers were still preparing to come to Charleston for the legislative session, WVU Medicine Wheeling Hospital dropped a bombshell: it would stop taking the state’s public employees’ health insurance. Almost immediately, lawmakers promised action and on the first day of the session, state…

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January 5, 2023 by Kelly Allen
West Virginia State Senator Says the Legislature Doesn’t Control PEIA

WTRF - As of July 1, state employees may no longer have their medical care covered at WVU Medicine Wheeling Hospital.  Read the full article. Jim Kaufman, President and CEO of the West Virginia Hospitals Association, made that announcement on MetroNews TalkLine on Thursday. It comes after years of issues funding West Virginia Public Employees…

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