Establishing Medicaid cost containment measures

SB 129 requires West Virginia Medicaid to obtain legislative approval through rulemaking for any waiver or plan amendment increasing program costs by $3 million or more. It mandates annual reports on budget reduction strategies, improper payment rates, and high-cost services, plus three-year studies comparing benefits to other states and analyzing the "benefit cliff" (where modest income increases cause disproportionate loss of healthcare benefits). Medicaid must also submit annual population health reports detailing chronic conditions like diabetes and obesity to identify cost-saving opportunities. All reports will be submitted to the Joint Committee on Government and Finance to inform cost containment decisions.