HB 5682 redirects $72 million in unused funds from previous fiscal years to support biomedical research at West Virginia medical schools. It expires $37 million from the 2023 Governor’s Civil Contingent Fund and $35 million from the 2017 fund, adding these to the General Revenue surplus for the 2026 fiscal year. The funds are specifically allocated to: $30 million for Marshall University School of Medicine, $5 million for West Virginia University Dental School, $32 million for West Virginia University School of Medicine, and $5 million for the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine. This supplemental appropriation expands biomedical research capacity without creating new taxes or spending.
HB 5459 imposes an annual tax on certified health maintenance organizations (HMOs) operating in West Virginia that provide Medicaid services. It establishes tiered tax rates based on Medicaid member months (with higher rates for larger volumes) and non-Medicaid member months, adjusting annually using West Virginia's Medicaid capitation rate changes. Starting July 1, 2027, the tax shifts to a flat 2.5% of each HMO's gross premiums in the state, applying uniformly regardless of membership type. The bill exempts Medicare Advantage plans and certain government health plans as specified in federal law.
HB 4196 requires licensed medication-assisted treatment (MAT) programs in West Virginia to offer long-acting reversible contraception (LARC), such as IUDs or implants, to patients receiving methadone or suboxone for substance use treatment. This applies to all facilities providing these services under the state's licensing framework, adding it as a standard requirement to existing operational rules. The bill directly affects MAT facilities, which must now integrate LARC options into their care protocols, and patients using methadone or suboxone at these locations. It creates a concrete policy change by mandating access to these contraceptive methods without requiring additional patient steps.
HB 4869 creates two guaranteed periods for West Virginia seniors to purchase Medicare Supplement (Medigap) policies without medical underwriting or pre-existing condition exclusions. It provides a 60-day window annually around each individual’s birthday for current policyholders to switch to a policy with the same or fewer benefits, and a 63-day window starting the day after Medicaid eligibility ends for those turning 65 or losing Medicaid. Insurers must offer coverage during these periods but are not required to provide new policies or alter existing benefit structures. The bill also mandates annual reports on Medigap premium trends for legislative review but does not change Medicare Advantage plans or require insurers to offer specific rates.
HB 4982 reestablishes West Virginia's statewide Healthy Lifestyles program, creating the Office of Healthy Lifestyles within the Department of Health. It directly affects all West Virginia residents, particularly Medicaid members with nutrition-related chronic diseases (like obesity or diabetes), by expanding access to "Food Is Medicine" services such as nutrition counseling, medically tailored meals, and grocery provisions. Key provisions include requiring the Bureau for Medical Services to design nutrition-based interventions to reduce healthcare costs, establishing a Healthy Lifestyle Coalition with 13 members to coordinate state and community efforts, and mandating physical fitness initiatives in schools. The bill also repeals previous program sections and adds new rules to promote nutritious food access and prevent diet-related diseases.
This bill requires physicians and osteopathic doctors in West Virginia to complete continuing education credits specifically in nutrition as part of their biennial license renewal process. The law mandates that medical professionals earn a minimum of fifty hours of continuing medical education every two years, with osteopathic physicians required to complete thirty-two hours including nutrition training, and these credits must be approved by relevant medical boards. The bill amends existing state code sections to make nutrition education a mandatory component of the continuing education requirement for license renewal.
SB 848 is a supplemental appropriation bill that allocates $84,600 from an unappropriated surplus balance in the State Fund, General Revenue, to cover inmate medical expenses for the Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation under the Department of Homeland Security during fiscal year 2026. This funding specifically targets Correctional Units within the Division and uses existing surplus funds identified in the Governor’s budget document. The bill does not create new programs or alter policies but directs available resources to address medical costs for inmates. It is a routine budget adjustment, not a policy change, to ensure necessary healthcare funding for correctional facilities.
This bill (SB 831) reallocates $200,000 within an existing budget line for West Virginia's Department of Human Services Community Mental Health Services (Fund 8794). It decreases funding from the "Federal Coronavirus Pandemic" account and increases funding for "Personal Services and Employee Benefits" to cover staffing costs. The bill does not create new programs or change eligibility for services - it simply shifts existing federal funds between two internal budget categories. This adjustment affects how the Department of Human Services allocates resources for mental health services within its current fiscal year budget.
SB 828 is a procedural bill that allocates unspent funds from the Department of Human Services' Medicaid State Share Fund (Fund 5090) for fiscal year 2026. It directs $174,483,090 already designated for "Medical Services" to cover ongoing Medicaid provider payments, using money remaining unappropriated after the fiscal year began. This bill does not create new policy or change eligibility - it simply ensures existing unspent Medicaid funds are used for medical services as intended. It directly affects Medicaid providers in West Virginia by securing payment for covered services.
SB 742 modifies West Virginia's involuntary hospitalization process by allowing an authorized hospital physician to place a person under a 72-hour hold without first contacting specific officials (like mental hygiene commissioners). It removes the previous 24-hour deadline for filing a formal petition to extend the hold, instead requiring this petition to be filed within 72 hours. The bill also ensures hospitals and physicians are paid standard rates for these services and are protected from liability when acting in good faith. This directly affects individuals facing involuntary hospitalization for mental illness or addiction and the healthcare providers managing their care.
