CHARLESTON, W.Va. –The West Virginia Department of Human Services (DoHS), Bureau for Medical Services (BMS) has released updated data following the completion of the state’s Medicaid unwinding period.
“Completing the Medicaid unwinding process represents a significant milestone for West Virginia’s health care system,” said Cynthia Beane, DoHS Bureau for Medical Services Commissioner. “Throughout this period, the Department has remained dedicated to ensuring that every West Virginian received the care they required, when they needed it most.”
During the unwinding period from April 2023 to March 2024, West Virginia conducted a total of 520,729 Medicaid and West Virginia Children’s Health Insurance Program (WVCHIP) renewals. From the available information, from April 2023 through the end of December 2023, 279,952 individuals were approved for ongoing coverage and 207,674 were not. The 90-day follow-up on pending and incomplete renewals from January 2024 through March 2024 is not yet available. The remainder will have their eligibility determined within the following three months. Of those not eligible for Medicaid or WVCHIP, 14,561 individuals have been transferred to the Federal Marketplace to be determined eligible for a plan.
Medicaid enrollment at the beginning of the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) was 504,760 in March 2020. Due to the continuous eligibility provision, Medicaid enrollment increased to 665,010 in March 2023. Medicaid enrollment as of April 1, 2024, was 516,500.
WVCHIP enrollment in June 2020 was 22,025; it went down to 18,138 in April 2023. WVCHIP enrollment as of March 31, 2024, was 25,663 due to a net gain of 6,049 children to the WVCHIP program from the Medicaid program during the unwinding period.
For more information about West Virginia Medicaid, PHE, and unwinding the continuous eligibility, visit dhhr.wv.gov/bms/Pages/West-Virginia-Medicaid,-Public-Health-Emergency-and-Unwinding-the-Continuous-Eligibility.aspx.
