This bill amends the Code of West Virginia to address the management of the medical services trust fund in relation to Medicaid coverage. It establishes that if there is a reduction in federal medical assistance for the Medicaid expansion program, specifically for newly eligible individuals under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the Department of Human Services is required to disenroll and eliminate coverage for those individuals. The bill mandates that the disenrollment process includes written notifications to affected beneficiaries, managed care plans, and providers, ensuring they are informed of the cessation of coverage as soon as permissible under federal law.

Additionally, the bill clarifies that funds within the medical services trust fund are strictly designated for specific purposes, including payment of backlogged Medicaid service billings and funding for federally mandated population groups, with the stipulation that new optional services not deemed cost-effective are to be eliminated before any expenditures are made from the fund. The Governor is granted the authority to authorize expenditures from the fund, which must be reported to the Joint Committee on Government and Finance. The bill also modifies existing language regarding the redesignation of funds, ensuring they remain allocated for the specified purposes unless the Medicaid program is eliminated in conjunction with federal health care reform.

Statutes affected:
Originating in Committee: