This bill aims to enhance the integrity of West Virginia's Medicaid program by establishing a new section in the Code of West Virginia that mandates the Bureau for Medical Services (BMS) to verify and remove deceased Medicaid enrollees. The BMS is required to conduct monthly data matches between Medicaid eligibility files and official death records from the West Virginia Department of Health and the Social Security Administration's Death Master File. Upon confirmation of an enrollee's death, the BMS must terminate their Medicaid eligibility and cease payments effective from the date of death.

Additionally, the bill authorizes the BMS to enter into data-sharing agreements with relevant agencies and mandates the West Virginia Office of Inspector General to perform annual audits of the verification process. The BMS is also required to submit an annual report to the Legislative Oversight Commission on Health and Human Resources Accountability detailing the number of deceased enrollees removed and the estimated cost avoidance. The provisions of this bill are set to take effect on July 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 9-5-34