West Virginia’s health insurance landscape includes many avenues through which individuals and families may buy healthcare insurance benefits. State residents without access to employer-sponsored coverage can shop for health plans in the private marketplace and through the federal marketplace exchange. Those who are eligible may apply for public health plans such as Medicaid and CHIP.
HealthCare.org also offers West Virginia health insurance quotes for Obamacare individual insurance plans, short term health insurance, small employer health plans and access to Medicaid information.
West Virginia and the Affordable Care Act
When the Affordable Care Act took effect and required most Americans to buy health insurance coverage, West Virginia elected to participate in the federally facilitated marketplace. When residents enroll in ACA-compliant health plans sold through the health insurance exchange, they can apply for income-based financial assistance that helps lower their monthly health insurance premiums and out-of-pocket expenses for healthcare.
Only marketplace plans are eligible for income-based premium tax credits and cost-sharing subsidies. Individuals and families can find both marketplace, on-exchange plans and private, off-exchange plans at HealthCare.org. For those who qualify for financial assistance, HealthCare.org offers free quotes and will connect them to the right exchange to complete their enrollment.
In West Virginia the Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP) provides a way for employers with 50 or fewer full-time employees to offer healthcare benefits.
Medicaid expansion in West Virginia
West Virginia is one of many states to have expanded Medicaid to single, low-income adults since Obamacare took effect. West Virginia residents that want to apply for Medicaid must meet certain eligibility criteria set by the state.
CHIP
West Virginia’s Children’s Health Insurance Program, WVCHIP, provides low-cost health insurance for eligible children. Information about West Virginia CHIP is available online.
In 2008, the United Health Foundation has ranked West Virginia as the 39th healthiest state in the country, and it has slipped to 44th healthiest state as of 2014. Some of the key issues that attributed to the decrease in overall healthiness were smoking, drug deaths and obesity.
Despite the strong public health funding, Healthcare needs to be more adequate and accessible to residents of West Virginia.
West Virginia Offices of the Insurance Commissioner
Mailing Address:
PO Box 50540
Charleston, WV 25305-0540
Physical Address:
1124 Smith St.
Charleston, WV 25301
Phone: (304) 558-3386http://www.wvinsurance.gov/
West Virginia Department of Health & Human Resources
State Capitol Complex
Building 3 Room 206
Charleston, WV 25305
(304) 558-0684http://www.wvdhhr.org/
