The Medicaid Expansion Is Good for West Virginia
The largest event in West Virginia in support of expanding Medicaid will be held Sunday, April 7th from 2:00 to 3:30 pm at the Christ Church United Methodist (located at 1221 Quarrier Street, East in Charleston). The forum and training is being sponsored by West Virginians for Affordable Health Care, Healthy Kids and Family Coalition, the West Virginia Council of Churches and 30 other religious, consumer, civic and labor organizations.
The forum will bring together religious leaders, consumer advocates, labor leaders, and the general public to collectively urge Governor Tomblin to accept the federal money that Congress has already set aside to provide health insurance coverage for 120,000 low-income West Virginians. The vast majority of these West Virginians work, but they work for an employer who can’t afford to provide health insurance coverage.
On behalf of WVAHC, we are extending a personal invitation to you to join us on April 7th and show your support for Medicaid expansion. Governor Tomblin is one of only a few Governors in the country, and the only Democratic Governor, who has not made a decision on whether to accept this federal money.
Governor Earl Ray Tomblin will decide in the next month or so whether to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). If Governor Tomlin adopts the Medicaid expansion, an estimated 120,000 working low-income West Virginians will qualify for Medicaid coverage beginning January 1, 2014. The federal government will pay 100% of the expansion cost in 2014 through 2016. Their share slowly declines over the following four years, but never falls below 90%. At worst, West Virginia will receive $9 for every $1 we invest in covering our friends and neighbors. The current income eligibility is just under $6,000 for a family of three. Currently a single mother with two kids who earns $6,000 a year doesn’t qualify, because she makes too much. Her children qualify for Medicaid, but she does not. With the Medicaid expansion the income level goes from $6,000 a year to $26,300 a year. This is the greatest expansion in Medicaid 45-year history. You can read a one-page summary about the Medicaid expansion here.
Families USA and West Virginians for Affordable Health Care have release a report finding that the Medicaid expansion will create 6,200 new jobs and generate $664 million in economic activity in 2016. You can read the full report here. Other findings of the report include:
- Expanding Medicaid covers the uninsured, who currently are receiving charity care at emergency rooms and hospitals. In 2010, West Virginia hospitals absorbed $279 million in cost for caring for low-income, uninsured West Virginians. Expanding Medicaid will cover many low-income, uninsured West Virginians, reduce the amount of charity care, and make our hospitals more financially secure.
- The cost of charity care is passed onto people with commercial health insurance coverage. Blue Cross Blue Shield estimates that the average family coverage in West Virginia is $1,000 higher each year to pay the costs of treating the uninsured. Expanding Medicaid reduces the number of uninsured West Virginians, cuts the “cost shift” and could reduce the premiums of commercial health insurance policies.
- The new 6,200 jobs and the $664 million in economic activity will generate increases in state tax revenues. Some states have projected that the additional tax revenue will more than offset the cost of the Medicaid expansion for West Virginia.
- Most importantly, expanding Medicaid will improve the health status and financial security of 100,000 low-income, working West Virginians.
In short, expanding Medicaid is a winning proposal for West Virginia. Please write Governor Earl Ray Tomblin and urge him to support the ACA’s Medicaid Expansion. His email address is Governor@wv.gov and his mailing address is State Capitol Complex, Charleston, West Virginia 25305.
 Enroll West Virginia Conference
Tuesday, May 14, 2013 - Days Inn Hotel, Flatwoods, WV
Beginning October 1, 2013 we have a once in a lifetime opportunity to enroll perhaps 100,000 uninsured West Virginians into Medicaid and subsidized private insurance policies through the new health insurance marketplace. Come to the Enroll West Virginia conference and find out how we can improve the lives of so many of our friends and neighbors.
The Enroll West Virginia conference web site is now available for registrations. The one day conference will be held on Tuesday, May 14th at the Days Inn Hotel in Flatwoods. The conference is designed for:
- social workers, nurses and consumer advocates;
- employees of FRNs, community health centers, state agencies, CAP agencies, and public health departments; and
- members of the faith-based community.
The conference will provide participants with a clear understanding of the new enrollment process and how they can assist people to enroll in Medicaid and private insurance policies in the health insurance marketplace. The registration fee is only $100, and there are scholarships available for individuals who cannot afford this modest registration fee.
At the Enroll West Virginia conference, WVAHC will be releasing a new publication, A Citizen’s Guide to Enrollment. This 24 page booklet will provide interested citizens with a clear understanding of the new enrollment process. You can view a summary of the Citizen’s Guide by clicking here.
West Virginians for Affordable Health Care (WVAHC) has developed
a DVD with West Virginians telling their own stories about how the
Affordable Care Act has impacted them and their small businesses. Faces of Reform in West Virginia was used in WVAHC’s successful
training initiative. Over 200 people across the state were trained
on the details of the Affordable Care Act. They in turn are educating
50 of their friends, neighbors and colleagues. WVAHC’s goal is to
reach 10,000 West Virginians will solid, objective information on
the Affordable Care Act. The more people know about the Affordable
Care Act, the more they are supportive of it. WVAHC is interested
in providing additional training sessions. If you know an organization
that would bring together 20 people to be trained on the Affordable
Care Act, contact Perry Bryant at perrybryant@suddenlink.org,
and we will schedule a session.
Historic National Health Care Reforms Adopted
 On
March 23, 2010, President Obama signed the Patient Protection and
Affordable Care Act (ACA). This historic piece of legislation has
three basic goals: reduce the number of uninsured Americans by 32
million; strengthen regulation of the insurance industry; and begin
the difficult task of controlling health care costs, particularly
for Medicare.
With the passage of the ACA almost all Americans will now enjoy
the same fundamental rights to health care that citizens of every
other developed nation enjoy.
As part of an extensive public education campaign, WVAHC has
developed The Affordable Care Act: Moving Forward in West Virginia. This
booklet providing consumers with details of the ACA and outlines
recent regulations being adopted by the Obama Administration. The
guide is an objective review of the major provision of the Act and
its impact on West Virginia’s families and businesses. The foreword
is written by Senator Jay Rockefeller.
Additionally, WVAHC has developed a series of other materials,
including:
and a series of PowerPoint presentations that include:
In addition to these materials, WVAHC held a series of town meeting
across West Virginia. These town meetings have allowed us to explain
the provisions of the ACA and answer questions that people have
about the reforms. It is that dialogue that is so important to helping
people understand this complex public policy initiative. There have
already been several town meetings -- in Parkersburg, Wheeling,
Morgantown, Elkins, Shepherdstown, Beckley, Charleston and Huntington.
WVAHC is working to schedule additional town meetings in Fairmont,
Lewisburg, Clarksburg and Logan.
Help for Small Businesses
WVAHC recognizes the unique challenges that small businesses,
both for-profit and nonprofit, face. They struggle to provide their
employees health insurance coverage. Small businesses pay almost
20 percent more than larger employers for the same health insurance
plan. And insurance companies charge small businesses more for administrative
costs than they do for larger employers. The Affordable Care Act
provides both short- and long-term assistance to small businesses.
Small businesses, particularly very small businesses with one or
fewer employees that are paid low salaries, qualify for tax credits
this year. There are efforts to control the administrative costs
that insurance companies charge small businesses. Beginning in 2014,
small businesses will be able to purchase health insurance coverage
through the health exchanges. These market places for selling health
insurance should allow small businesses to purchase health insurance
in a simpler manner. The exchanges will promote competition and
lower costs. Finally, small businesses will have new protection
against huge premium increases because one or more of their employees
gets sick and uses their health insurance coverage.
Families USA, a national health care research and consumer advocate organization, published
Good Business Sense: The Small Business Health Care Tax Credit in the Affordable Care Act.
This report found that more than 16,000 small businesses qualified for the small business health care tax credits in 2011. Over 7,000 very small businesses, those employing ten or fewer employees with average wages of less than $25,000, qualified for the maximum tax credits. If all the businesses in West Virginia that qualified for the tax credit had taken advantage of the tax credits to help provide health insurance to their employees, small businesses in West Virginia would have received $80 million in tax credits in 2011.
To help small businesses, including nonprofit organizations,
WVAHC has developed a series of materials:
WVAHC Director Perry Bryant is available to make presentations
on the ACA and its impact on small businesses. Contact him at 304-344-1673
or pbryant@wvahc.org
Lower Costs Make for Higher Quality
The report, Lower Costs – Higher Quality, describes actions West Virginia can take to improve quality and contain costs in our health care system. This report is based on in-depth interviews conducted with thirty-three health care opinion leaders in West Virginia and is patterned on a national report prepared by the Commonwealth Fund. In the national report, heath care opinion leaders in high performing states found certain traits led to their state having a high performing health care system. These traits included:
- Strong and continuous political leadership
- Collaboration among medical provider organizations
- Data and transparency
- Healthier, better educated and a more affluent population
Read what West Virginia health care leaders thought would led our state to become a high performing health care system: one with higher quality and lower costs by clicking .
Tell Us Your Story
Most of us already know that West Virginia is facing a health
care crisis. Almost seventeen percent of West Virginians under the
age 65 don't have health insurance of any kind. Thousands more are
inadequately covered. But behind these numbers are real people with
real stories, and each one of them is another reason why West Virginia
needs real, meaningful reform. The Affordable Care Act instituted
effective reform but it has been under attack even before it is
fully implemented. That’s why West Virginians for Affordable Health
Care wants to hear your stories. We want to hear from you and add
your voice to the ever-growing number of people who are tired of
the rising cost of premiums; overwhelming medical debt or being
denied coverage because of a pre-existing conditions. Share your
story today! Small business owners, patients/consumers, health care
providers - everybody has a telling story. We want to hear from
you! Tell us Your Story.
Health Insurance Exchanges: Better Quality with Costs Contained
Health Insurance exchanges are marketplaces where small businesses
and individuals can shop for easy to understand insurance options.
This one-stop shopping for health insurance holds the promise of
controlling increases in costs and offering better value--for example,
health insurance products with expanded wellness and chronic disease
management programs.
West Virginians for Affordable Health Care has developed a four
page summary, What Is an Exchange and How Will It Impact Small Businesses and
Individuals, on the important decisions facing West Virginia
as we begin the process of establishing our health exchanges. Families
USA, a national health care research and consumer advocacy organization,
has written a more extensive booklet, Implementing Health Insurance Exchanges: A Guide to State Activities
and Choices. And the Commonwealth Fund as published Health Insurance Exchanges and the Affordable Care Act: Eight Difficult
Issues. This report was written by Professor Timothy Jost of
Washington and Lee University School of Law, and is a leading national
expert on health exchanges.
The Office of the Insurance Commissioner issued a Request for
Comments. In response, WVAHC drafted detail comments on who should
govern the West Virginia exchange and outlining the mission of the
exchange, which should be to promote the interest of consumers.
These comments were endorsed by organizations representing nurses,
teachers, organized labor, social workers,cancer survivors and consumes.
You can read the detailed comments here.
2010 Health Care Reform Summit
 The
2010 Growing Healthy Children Health Care Reform Summit held August
30-31, 2010 was a huge success. The Summit brought some of the most
insightful experts on health care policy to Charleston, West Virginia.
Read the front page Charleston Gazette article about the Summit.
Here are some of the presentations made at the Summit:
- Nancy Atkins, RN, MSN, NP-BC, Commissioner,
Bureau for Medical Services, W. Va. Dept. of Health and Human
Services: Medicaid and Health Care Reform
- Roger Chafournier, Chair, West Virginia
Health Improvement Institute; CEO, CSI Solutions, LLC: Transforming Health Care in West Virginia: Update
- Richard Hamburg, Deputy Director, Trust
for America's Health: Cost Containment Through Prevention
- Dawn Horner, Senior Program Director, Center
for Children and Families; Research Instructor, Georgetown University
Health Policy Institute: What Health Care Reform Means for Children: Quality of Care
- Jocelyn Moore, Legislative Director and
Staff Director of the Senate Finance Subcommittee on Health
Care for Senator Jay Rockefeller: The Future of Health Care Reform
- Fred Ralston, MD, FACP, President, American
College of Physicians: Health Care Reform: What is Means for Primary Care
- Louise Reese, Executive Director, West
Virginia Primary Care Association: Turning Vision into Reality
- Brian Rosman, Research Director, Massachusetts
Health Care for All: Lessons from the Massachusetts Health Reform Experience
- Jeremiah Samples, Insurance Program Manager,
West Virginia Offices of the Insurance Commissioner: West Virginia Connect: West Virginia's Health Insurance Exchange
- Kathleen Stoll, Deputy Executive Director
for Families USA: An Overview of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
- Nora Super, Director, Federal Government
Relations, Health and Long-Term Care, AARP: What Health Care Reform Means for Medicare
- Bill TenHoor -- Senior Consultant, Advocates
for Human Potential (AHP) Healthcare Solutions: Health Care Reform and Mental Health Parity
Download the reform summit brochure and agenda
Visit the summit
website
Early Deaths: West Virginians Have Some of the Shortest Life
Expectancies in the United States
 West
Virginians have life expectancies that are below the national average,
and southern West Virginians have some of the lowest life expectancies
in the country, particularly women. These are some of the findings
of a report issued in September, 2008 by West Virginians for Affordable
Health Care (WVAHC).
 Read the Report Study the Raw Data
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