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West Virginia Watch

15 stories

State Policy·WV·3d ago

West Virginia Awards $8 Million in Rural Health Transformation Grants

Gov. Patrick Morrisey announced more than $8 million in awards from West Virginia's federal Rural Health Transformation Program funds. Community Care of West Virginia, a federally qualified health center, will receive $1.1 million for telehealth upgrades, a mobile healthcare unit, workforce training, and an apprenticeship program. The Minnie Hamilton Health Center will get $4 million for a mobile healthcare unit, drone supply delivery, and AI-supported clinical documentation, while $3.2 million will fund AI ambient listening technology at five hospitals, a telehealth hub for rural skilled nursing residents, and staffing support through Vandalia Health. West Virginia received $199 million total under the program, created by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, for 2026.

State Policy·WV·4d ago

WV Advocates Press State to Fix Autism Therapy Workforce Shortage

Advocates for children with autism in West Virginia are urging state officials to address a shortage of workers who provide applied behavior analysis and other therapy services covered by Medicaid. Families report long waitlists and difficulty accessing care due to insufficient numbers of trained providers, particularly in rural areas. The advocates are calling on state leaders to take action on reimbursement rates, provider recruitment, or other policy levers to expand the workforce. No specific legislative or regulatory proposal has yet been detailed in this report.

State Policy·WV·12d ago

West Virginia Allocates $291,000 in Federal Rural Health Funds to Expand Nursing Education Capacity

West Virginia will allocate $291,403 from its federal Rural Health Transformation Program grant to WVU Medicine's Center for Nursing Education to expand capacity by 100 students annually, targeting rural and Health Professional Shortage Area communities. The funding will support tuition assistance, academic services, and wellness resources for students who commit to serving in West Virginia's healthcare workforce. The allocation is part of West Virginia's Mountain State Care Force initiative under the state's $199 million five-year Rural Health Transformation grant from CMS, established under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. WVU Medicine currently has over 1,000 vacancies across its network.

State Policy·WV·16d ago

West Virginia Allocates $855K in Federal Funds to Expand Health Information Exchange

West Virginia will allocate $855,400 in federal Rural Health Transformation Program funds to the West Virginia Health Information Network to expand statewide health information exchange capacity. The funding will support the Connected Care Grid initiative, increasing participation in secure data sharing among healthcare providers and organizations. The allocation is part of West Virginia's $199 million Rural Health Transformation award from CMS in 2026, aimed at strengthening rural healthcare infrastructure. The investment expands provider connectivity for care coordination across the state's rural healthcare delivery system.

State Policy·WV·17d ago

West Virginia Legislator Questions $1.17M Rural Health Grant to Wellness Organization

West Virginia awarded Spotted Owl Health Organization $1.17 million in federal Rural Health Transformation program funds to establish employer-based worksite clinics, prompting concerns from Del. Gary Howell that the Kanawha County wellness organization lacks experience in multi-employer healthcare delivery and has never administered grants exceeding $50,000. Health Secretary Arvin Singh defended the merit-based selection and noted the state can claw back funding if performance milestones are not met. West Virginia received $199 million in Rural Health Transformation program funding from CMS for 2026, part of a five-year initiative to expand rural healthcare access.

State Policy·WV·27d ago

West Virginia Awards $2.4M in Federal Rural Health Funds for Employer-Based Care Expansion

West Virginia will allocate $2.4 million from its $199 million federal Rural Health Transformation Program to three organizations — Spotted Owl Health Care ($1.17M), Charleston Area Medical Center ($612K), and Cabell Huntington Foundation ($612K) — to expand worksite clinics and employer-based health services. The funding, part of Gov. Morrisey's Health to Prosperity initiative, aims to improve access to preventive and chronic disease care for rural workers. The state must obligate the full $199 million by October 30, 2026, to meet federal requirements. Additional grant announcements are forthcoming.

State Policy·WV·32d ago

West Virginia SNAP Enrollment Drops 4,000 Children Since Federal Benefit Cuts

West Virginia reports approximately 4,000 fewer children enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) as of May 2026, one year after the One Big Beautiful Bill Act took effect in July 2025. The federal law made substantial cuts to nutrition assistance programs. State Department of Human Services data shows the decline in child enrollment following implementation of the federal benefit reductions. The enrollment drop reflects the impact of federal SNAP policy changes on low-income families who often qualify for both SNAP and Medicaid.

State Policy·WV·34d ago

West Virginia Medicaid Agency Says Audit Savings Years Away, Requires Technology Upgrades

West Virginia's Department of Human Services, which administers the state's Medicaid program, told lawmakers that $68.6 million in potential annual savings identified in a May 2026 BDO audit will take years to realize. The savings depend on costly technology upgrades, including fixing the state's $400 million PATH eligibility system, reducing paper mailings, and bringing foster children back in-state from residential facilities. Governor Patrick Morrisey paid BDO USA $1 million to audit three state agencies in search of efficiencies. Legislators expressed mixed reactions, with some understanding the timeline for system overhauls and others calling the audit's projections unrealistic.

State Policy·WV·34d ago

West Virginia Diverts $8M in TANF Funds to Broken PATH Database System

West Virginia's Department of Human Services is using nearly $8 million in federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families funding to maintain its troubled PATH system, the state's online management platform for Medicaid, foster care, and welfare programs. The $400 million system, launched under the previous administration, continues experiencing regular outages and data processing failures despite ongoing investment. Governor Morrisey cited TANF funding shortfalls when abruptly closing school clothing allowance applications in July after seven days, raising questions from state legislators about whether PATH maintenance costs contributed to the program's budget deficit. State lawmakers allocated an additional $7.4 million for PATH operations in the FY 2027 budget, with the Department of Human Services unable to specify total expected annual spending on the system.

State Policy·WV·34d ago

West Virginia Advocates Warn H.R. 1 Medicaid Work Requirements Could Drop 40,000-75,000 Enrollees

West Virginians for Affordable Health Care projects that H.R. 1's monthly work reporting requirements, effective January 1, 2027, could terminate coverage for 40,000 to 75,000 of the state's 160,000 Medicaid expansion enrollees — not due to ineligibility, but administrative burdens. The legislation imposes 80-hour monthly work or qualifying activity verification for adults 19-64, with advocates citing Arkansas's 2018 experience where 18,000 people lost coverage in seven months with no employment gains. The advocacy group argues rural hospital support legislation introduced by Sen. Capito contradicts support for H.R. 1, which cuts over $1 trillion from Medicaid over a decade.

State Policy·WV·34d ago

West Virginia Finalizing $39 Million in Rural Health Transformation Awards, Faces Federal Deadline

West Virginia's Department of Health is finalizing agreements to award approximately $39 million in federal Rural Health Transformation funding and is on track to obligate the full $199 million first-year allocation by an October 30 federal deadline, Health Secretary Arvin Singh told state legislators Monday. The state reduced consulting fees to KGMP from an estimated $12 million to approximately $8 million and expects to spend about $10 million in administrative costs instead of the budgeted $18.8 million. The state plans to reinvest the $8 million in administrative savings into programmatic spending. Recipient names will not be released until grant agreements are executed, and the state anticipates year 2 funding announcements on October 31.

State Policy·WV·52d ago

West Virginia Medicaid Work Requirements Launch January 1, 33,000 Beneficiaries Not Meeting Criteria

West Virginia's Medicaid work and volunteer requirements will take effect January 1, 2027, according to a briefing to state lawmakers by the Department of Human Services. An initial analysis found approximately 33,000 current Medicaid beneficiaries are neither meeting the federal work or volunteer requirements nor automatically exempt from them. The requirements were authorized under federal law and will require affected beneficiaries to demonstrate compliance to maintain coverage. This implementation affects a substantial segment of West Virginia's Medicaid population and follows years of legal challenges to work requirements nationwide.

Industry·WV·66d ago

West Virginia Lawmakers Question Majestic Care's Long-Term Care Hospital Expansion Plans

Majestic Care, a New York-based developer operating four long-term care hospitals in West Virginia, reports progress on new facility construction. State lawmakers have expressed concerns that the new builds could relocate elderly patients and jobs away from existing communities, though specific facility locations have not been disclosed. The expansion comes as the company consolidates its footprint in West Virginia's long-term care hospital market. The development raises questions about access to post-acute care services for Medicaid beneficiaries who comprise a significant portion of long-term care hospital patients.

State Policy·WV·82d ago

West Virginia Survey Finds 55% of Medicaid Recipients Unaware of 2027 Work Requirements

A new survey reveals that 55% of West Virginia Medicaid recipients are unaware of work requirements set to begin in 2027, affecting more than 161,000 enrollees. The requirements will condition eligibility on work or qualifying activities for certain adult beneficiaries. Implementation begins next year, requiring managed care organizations to support member communications and coordinate exemption verification processes. Low awareness levels signal potential enrollment disruptions and administrative burden for MCOs managing eligibility transitions.

State Policy·WV·101d ago

West Virginia Prepares for Federal Medicaid Work Requirements with New Website

West Virginia's Department of Human Services launched an information website and is requesting Medicaid recipients update their contact information ahead of new federal Medicaid work requirements taking effect in 2026. The state is preparing to implement work requirements that will affect certain Medicaid enrollees, though specific eligibility criteria and exemptions have not been detailed. The initiative signals active state-level preparation for federal policy changes that will require states to verify work activity for non-exempt adult Medicaid recipients.

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