H. B. 4301
(By Delegates Rodighiero, Eldridge, Ellis,
Hrutkay, Wysong and Reynolds)
[Introduced January 28, 2008; referred to the
Committee on Banking and Insurance then Finance.]
A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be
amended by adding thereto a new section, designated §5-16B-6e,
relating to qualifying children of state employees, receiving
income of twenty-five thousand dollars per year or less, for
the West Virginia Children's Health Insurance Program.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That §5-16B-6e of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended,
be amended and reenacted to read as follows:
ARTICLE 16B. WEST VIRGINIA CHILDREN'S HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM.
§5-16B-6e. Expansion of West Virginia Children's Health Insurance
Program to children of state employees.
(a) Upon approval by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid
Services, the board shall implement a program for uninsured
children of state employees, as defined by paragraph three, section
two, article sixteen, of this chapter, receiving income of twenty-five thousand dollars per year or less.
(b) The benefit plans offered pursuant to this section shall
include services determined to be appropriate for children, but may
vary from those currently offered by the board.
(c) The board shall structure the benefit plans for this
expansion to include premiums, coinsurance or copays and
deductibles. The board shall develop the cost-sharing features in
such a manner as to keep the program fiscally stable without
creating a barrier to enrollment. Such features may include
different cost-sharing features within this group based upon the
percentage of the federal poverty level.
(d) Any provision in this chapter to the contrary
notwithstanding, Children covered by West Virginia State Employee
Health Insurance are eligible for coverage under this expansion; in
which instance this expansion shall be a complement to and/or a
supplement to the gaps in coverage provided for a child under a
parent's West Virginia State Employee Health Insurance plan.
(e) Provider reimbursement schedules shall be no lower than
the reimbursement provided for the same services under the plans
offered in article sixteen of this chapter.
(f) All provisions of this article are applicable to this
expansion unless expressly addressed in this section.
(g) The board is directed to report no less than quarterly to
the Legislative Oversight Commission on Health and Human Resources Accountability on the development, implementation and progress of
the expansion authorized in this section.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to qualify children of state
employees, receiving income of twenty-five thousand dollars per
year or less, for the West Virginia Children's Health Insurance
Program.
Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from
the present law, and underscoring indicates new language that would
be added.