West Virginia Governor Signs Bill To Expand Health Care For Low-Income Individuals

Main Category: Health Insurance / Medical Insurance
Article Date: 10 Apr 2006 - 22:00 PDT


West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin (D) on Monday signed into law a bill (HB 4021) designed to expand health care access for low-income workers, the Charleston Gazette reports (Finn, Charleston Gazette, 4/4). The bill, which was approved by both the House and the Senate in March, includes a series of proposals, including Manchin's pilot program that would establish clinic-based primary care services for an undetermined prepaid fee. The West Virginia Health Care Authority would oversee the program and select eight providers to implement it. Providers would be allowed to offer the program at three sites. The program will last for three years, beginning no later than July 1, 2007. In addition, the bill would expand state SCHIP program eligibility from 200% to 300% of the federal poverty level, increasing the program's enrollment eligibility by up to 4,300 children and leaving only about 800 children in the state without insurance, according to Delegate Don Perdue (D) (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 3/14). The bill also creates an Interagency Health Council to study how to work toward universal health coverage in West Virginia. Manchin on Monday also signed into law bills related to mental health care, Alzheimer's disease, employer health insurance and health care in schools, the Gazette reports (Charleston Gazette, 4/4).

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