Redesigned West Virginia Medicaid plan restricting benefits for more than 90% of child beneficiaries, report states
August 14th, 2008 | by admin |
Child Health News
West Virginia’s redesigned Medicaid program is restricting benefits for more than 90% of child beneficiaries because of insufficient efforts by the state to enroll children in an expanded plan, according to a report released Thursday, the Charleston Gazette reports.
The Medicaid changes took effect two years ago with the creation of Mountain Health Choices. The program covers more than 230,000, or 30%, of West Virginia children and offers expanded benefits for children whose parents sign “personal responsibility” agreements to improve their children’s health. The agreement requires that beneficiaries see a physician, keep appointments and avoid seeking care at emergency departments. Eight percent of parents with children enrolled in Medicaid have signed the agreement.
Children of parents who do not sign the agreement receive “basic” coverage that provides fewer benefits than traditional Medicaid. This format is intended to encourage parents to take a greater interest in their children’s health, but the redesigned plan is “seriously flawed” and is “not working as currently structured,” the report states. The report, authored by Georgetown University Center for Children and Families Deputy Executive Director Joan Alker, states that beneficiaries receive a mailing notifying them that they must sign up for the expanded benefit package within 90 days after they become eligible to renew coverage. However, the date is not indicated in the mailing and parents are not warned that benefits could be reduced, according to the report. The study also states that the program has had “no real impact” width=396 align=left vspace=5 border=0>This article is republished with kind permission from our friends at The Kaiser Family Foundation. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery of in-depth coverage of health policy developments, debates and discussions. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for Kaisernetwork.org, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. Copyright 2008 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
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