West Virginia Department of Human Services provides update on Medicaid unwinding and renewals period

Danielle Sandler
·2 min read

CHARLESTON, WV (WVNS) — The West Virginia Department of Human Services (DoHS), Bureau for Medical Services (BMS) has provided current data showing the State’s Medicaid completion of its program for the period.

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This is also known as the unwinding period.

“Completing the Medicaid unwinding process represents a significant milestone for West Virginia’s health care system. Throughout this period, the Department has remained dedicated to ensuring that every West Virginian received the care they required, when they needed it most,” said Cynthia Beane, DoHS Bureau for Medical Services Commissioner.

This period started from April 2023 to March 2024 and during this time there was a total of 520,729 Medicaid and West Virginia Children’s Health Insurance Program (WVCHIP) renewals for the state of West Virginia. From the information provided, approximately 279, 952 people were approved for coverage and approximately 207, 674 people were not during April 2023 to December 2023.

Follow up for renewals from January 2024 to March 2024 are currently not available at this time. Eligibility for renewals will be available after the following three months. Those that are not eligible for any of these programs will be transferred to the Federal Marketplace for a different plan.

Medicaid enrollment has increased drastically since the beginning of the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) to March 2023, with at least over 100,000 more people who became eligible.

For the current year, Medicaid enrollment as of April 1, 2024, was eligible for 516,500 people.

WVCHIP enrollment in June 2020 decreased in April 2023. Enrollment of this program as of March 31, 2024, went up due to the amount of children from the Medicaid unwinding period.

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For more information about these programs and eligibility, visit dhhr.wv.gov/bms/Pages/West-Virginia-Medicaid,-Public-Health-Emergency-and-Unwinding-the-Continuous-Eligibility.aspx.

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