Health

July 15, 2013 by WVCBP
Governor Tomblin Has ACA Questions

This afternoon, the Governor's Office sent a letter to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) chief, Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, regarding the Affordable Care Act in West Virginia.  In the letter dated July 15, Governor Tomblin requests "prompt answers to several questions concerning implementation of the ." (See the letter here) The majority of…

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July 12, 2013 by WVCBP
Improving Health By Focusing on…High School Graduation?

How could West Virginia save hundreds of millions of dollars per year in healthcare costs?  By getting more kids to graduate high school.  Confused?  Let me explain. Most people understand that health is much more than just medical care.  A person's health is the result of a combination of a myriad of factors like genetics,…

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July 9, 2013 by WVCBP
Obamacare Rhetoric Off The Mark

There's an interesting spin on Obamacare that has been going on in recent days as a result of several announcements out of Washington.  First, the Treasury Department announced last week that it will delay enforcing the large-employer mandate for one year.  Later, the Department of Health and Human Services announced that it will simplify the…

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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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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 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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June 11, 2013 by WVCBP
Healthcare Reform Will Promote Small Business

Small business is often considered the foundation of local economies, which means a recent report about the Affordable Care Act may be real good news for West Virginia.  The report by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation found that the number of self-employed people in West Virginia will rise by 13 percent, or 6,000 people, after…

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May 23, 2013 by WVCBP
Medicaid Expansion Could Net West Virginia Millions — Lessons From Kentucky

Earlier this month, Kentucky announced it would be joining West Virginia and 19 other states in expanding Medicaid as part of the Affordable Care Act.  Kentucky, however, had stronger evidence to support its decision than West Virginia.  While West Virginia estimated expansion would cost the state around $375 million over the first 10 years, Kentucky looked…

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