Health care is a funny thing. Everyone needs it, yet lots of people can't afford it, and hospitals have to treat them regardless. Treatment prices vary wildly depending not only on where you live but where you go and whether or not you have insurance. Oddly, those without insurance are almost always charged more for…
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Budget Beat - August 2, 2013 Evidence Counts - Households Have Higher Debt than Federal Government This fall Congress will need to raise the federal debt ceiling likely starting the inevitable comparison between government and household debt. Ted's blog post this week looks into why this analogy does not look at the full picture and…
If we want to understand what is happening in West Virginia jails and prisons, we must listen to the people inside them. The Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation (DCR) has taken a step in that direction. On Monday, the agency released a new policy that allows people behind bars to submit their grievances electronically. A grievance is a formal, written…
The latest State Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed West Virginia had the highest job openings rate in the country, at 9.2 percent and with 71,000 job openings. While there has been much discussion about legislation to cut unemployment benefits in an attempt to "get people back…
This week the Senate introduced SJR 9, or the Just Cut Taxes and Win Amendment. SJR 9 would call for a constitutional amendment to eliminate the business personal property tax for certain industries. As you might tell from the title of the resolution, this is the state’s latest effort to spur job and economic growth…
Over the last 30 years, the number of West Virginians incarcerated has grown nearly five-fold despite a decline in the state’s population over this time. This steep rise is not due to rising crime rates in West Virginia, but the policy choices made by lawmakers to use imprisonment as a response to crime. Download PDF.
Comprehensive prenatal care is key to a healthy pregnancy and delivery. Unfortunately, while the Affordable Care Act allowed West Virginia to expand Medicaid to more pregnant women in the state, many expecting mothers still lack comprehensive health care coverage during pregnancy. West Virginia can ensure more moms and babies are healthy—while saving money for families…
In March 2019, West Virginia lawmakers passed Senate Bill 564 to raise the Medicaid eligibility for pregnant women to 300 percent of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) while guaranteeing coverage for 60-days postpartum. By aligning West Virginia with current state trends and closing a health insurance gap, this policy will provide coverage for hundreds of…
This week, Governor Justice held a press conference to provide an update on the state's fiscal situation at the start of the 2021 fiscal year (FY) and the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the governor, West Virginia is starting FY 2021 with a $243.9 million surplus, and ended FY 2020 with a $23 million…
On September 11, 2012, West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy Executive Director Ted Boettner presented at the WV Legislative Interims to the Joint Economic Development Commission regarding transparency and accountability of business tax incentives. Boettner found that West Virginia should take steps to help policymakers and the public know if taxpayer-funded subsides are creating…