CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The kids of West Virginia state government employees could soon be able to apply for health insurance coverage with the West Virginia Children’s Health Insurance Program (WVCHIP).
Governor Earl Ray Tomblin announced the change Thursday, which is pending federal approval.
Dependents of state government employees previously were not eligible to apply for WVCHIP due to the federal program’s eligibility restrictions.
The Affordable Care Act changed those federal eligibility restrictions enabling WVCHIP to consider enrolling qualified dependents of state employees, who currently receive coverage under the WV Public Employees Insurance Agency (PEIA).
The WVCHIP agency will next notify the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) of its intent to submit an amended state plan authorizing enrollment of public employees’ children into WVCHIP. CMS will begin an approval process in October with a decision expected to be made by January 1, 2014.
If approved by CMS, eligible PEIA members will then be able to look into the new option during open enrollment with WVCHIP coverage beginning July 1, 2014.