W.Va. Health Dept.: West Virginia Recognized for Innovations in Its Medicaid Program

CHARLESTON, West Virginia, Sept. 15 -- The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources issued the following news release:

West Virginia's Medicaid program, administered by the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources' (DHHR) Bureau for Medical Services (BMS), has received a 2022 Medicaid Innovation Award from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the National Academy for State Health Policy. The award recognizes states for demonstrating creativity, leadership, and progress in their Medicaid programs.

West Virginia Medicaid was recognized as the Care Coordination for Vulnerable Populations recipient for providing specialized managed care for youth in foster care by delivering continuity in health care through the most integrated and cost-effective way possible, and ensuring quality across services.

"This award underscores DHHR's dedication to improving health care services for residents, especially vulnerable children at-risk of out-of-home placements," said Cindy Beane, BMS Commissioner. "We will continue focusing on enhancing children's services and remain committed to administering, promoting, and assuring strategies that improve the quality of life for all West Virginians served by the Medicaid program."

Children in foster care are more likely to have complex health conditions, higher rates of trauma from abuse and neglect, and limited access to health care services.

"Improved access to medical and behavioral health care for West Virginia's youth in foster care has been a team effort and priority," said Bill J. Crouch, DHHR Cabinet Secretary. "I am proud of the hard work and leadership from Commissioner Beane and the collaboration across DHHR's bureaus to meet this critical need."

Medicaid is a joint state-federal health insurance program that covers one in five people in the United States, including elderly individuals and individuals with disabilities, and 40% of all children nationwide.

"Medicaid enables states to develop tailored, creative solutions to local challenges, and when faced with an unprecedented pandemic, Medicaid leaders dug deep to develop innovative approaches to care," said Tara Oakman, interim managing director at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. "While it remains a difficult period for Medicaid programs, all states can learn from successes in other states in improving Medicaid access, care delivery, and equity."

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Original text here: https://dhhr.wv.gov/News/2022/Pages/West-Virginia-Recognized-for-Innovations-in-its-Medicaid-Program.aspx