PARKERSBURG, W.Va. – Medicaid managed care members in Cabell and Wayne counties now have a new health plan option available to them. West Virginia Family Health (WVFH), a West Virginia-based Medicaid managed care organization, announced today that it has expanded its service area to include all 55 counties in the state effective Nov. 1, 2015.
“This expansion will give Medicaid-eligible individuals residing in Cabell and Wayne counties another choice for their health care coverage,” said Fred Earley, president of West Virginia Family Health and Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield West Virginia. “As the only managed care organization in West Virginia owned by providers, WVFH is a new way that health care professionals and health insurers are working together to make sure Medicaid members have access to excellent care and coverage.”
WVFH was formed through an innovative partnership between 22 Federally Qualified Health Centers, two primary care clinics, the West Virginia Primary Care Association and Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield West Virginia. Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield West Virginia is responsible for managing the organization’s overall operations.
“Through this unique care delivery model, Medicaid managed care members in all 55 counties now have access to an integrated managed care system for the first time,” said Steve Shattls, chairman of the board for WVFH and executive director of Valley Health Systems, a Federally Qualified Health Center in Huntington. “Not only does WVFH bring a cost-effective approach to Medicaid managed care, it also enhances quality and health outcomes for our state’s Medicaid population.”
As a result of the Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act, an estimated 169,000 West Virginians now have access to WVFH and other managed care options. Since the expansion, WVFH has been the most frequently chosen managed care organization by Medicaid-eligible residents in the state.
In addition to behavioral health services, a newly integrated benefit due to the Medicaid expansion, WVFH also offers extra services to its members so they can get the care they need. WVFH is the only managed care organization in West Virginia offering its members an adult vision benefit, which covers an adult preventive eye exam and one pair of free glasses annually.
About West Virginia Family Health (WVFH)
West Virginia Family Health (WVFH), a Medicaid managed care organization operating in all 55 counties in West Virginia, delivers high-quality, cost-effective services to eligible Medicaid managed care members. WVFH is a joint partnership between 22 Federally Qualified Health Centers, two primary care clinics, the West Virginia Primary Care Association and Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield West Virginia. Based in Parkersburg, W.Va., the organization’s mission is to provide its members with access to the primary and specialty care they need quickly and professionally in a positive, nurturing setting in their local communities. For more information about WVFH and its services, visit www.wvfh.com.