(2006)    PUBLIC NOTICE   WVCHIP EXPANSION TO COVER MORE UNINSURED CHILDREN   On January 1, 2007, the West Virginia Children’s Health Insurance Program (WVCHIP) plans to review applications under expanded income eligibility guidelines. These new guidelines will allow those families to have health coverage for their children through premium payments. In addition, children must have been without private group insurance coverage for 12 months to be eligible. Currently, a family’s gross income (before taxes) must be at or under 200% of the federal poverty level (FPL) for WVCHIP eligibility.  This expansion phase allows an increase to 220% of the federal poverty level to provide an opportunity for more uninsured children to have health care coverage through WVCHIP.   Example -- 2006 Income Eligibility Chart   Family Size Current 200% FPL Annual Gross Income* Effective January 1, 2007 220% FPL Annual Gross Income* 2 $26,400 $29,040 3 $33,200 $36,520 4 $40,000 $44,000                 *Income Deductions/Exceptions may qualify some families whose income is above maximum level. Families qualifying for the WVCHIP Premium Health Plan (201% - 220% FPL) would be charged an affordable premium of $35 per month for one child and $71 per month for two or more children.  Total cost of premiums and copayments will not exceed more than 5% of the family’s total annual gross income. Enrollees in the premium plan will have access to the same medical coverage as current members, but will not have vision coverage. Dental services will be limited to preventive services, such as semi-annual exams and x-rays. Visit www.wvchip.org for more information on copayments and benefits. The application process for the premium plan is the same for all plans.  Families can apply for WVCHIP by calling the toll-free helpline at 1-877-982-2447, at their local DHHR office or by Internet at www.wvinroads.org. Adoption of this change is estimated to provide comprehensive health care coverage to approximately 400 uninsured children of working families during the first year of implementation. Any written comments concerning these changes should be made in writing thirty days of the date of this notice and addressed to:  Executive Director, WV Children’s Health Insurance Program, 1018 Kanawha Boulevard East, Suite 209, Charleston, West Virginia 25301, or you may email your comments to Brenda Jones at bkjones@wvchip.org.   WVCHIP APPROVES INCREMENTAL EXPANSION BY 20%, EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2007   Charleston, WV – The West Virginia Children’s Health Insurance Board approved the expansion of its program on July 27, 2006 to include eligibility for families living up to 220 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL), effective January 1, 2007. Due to the uncertainty of the federal re-authorization of the national Children’s Health Insurance Program and to ensure the financial stability of the program, the Board unanimously approved a 20 percent incremental expansion to 220 percent of the FPL. The Board plans to consider the feasibility of additional 20 percent increments of the FPL annually. This phase of the expansion will provide eligibility for families of four earning up to $44,000 annually or $3,666 monthly of gross income (before taxes).  As a result, 445 children may be eligible within the first complete year of this increase. Upon full expansion to 300 percent of the FPL, approximately 4,000 children will become eligible over the next five years. Eligibility requirements of the WVCHIP include: Live in West Virginia Age 18 or younger Don’t have health insurance now and haven’t had it in the past 12 months Are not eligible for the WV State Employee Health Insurance – PEIA Are not eligible for WV Medicaid Families income must fall within the WVCHIP Income Guidelines (2006 Federal Poverty Guidelines w/220% FPL). Able to pay a monthly premium share of about 25 percent of annual cost per month Are United States citizens of qualified aliens (Children who are not U.S. citizens must provide verification of their alien status.) The benefit package is very similar to the current plan with only a few minor changes in vision and dental coverage.  For more information, contact the CHIP Helpline at 1-877-982-2447.   New Preferred Drug List for WVCHIP members (2006) The West Virginia Children’s Health Insurance Program is changing to a new Preferred Drug List (PDL), effective January 1, 2006. Due to rising drugs costs a new drug list was created by focusing more on generic use to contain costs. Adoption of this change is estimated to bring a total savings of more than $1 million to the program. Unlike the current PDL, non-preferred drugs will no longer be covered. After this January 1, 2006 effective date, if a provider chooses to prescribe a drug not listed on the formulary it will be a 100% retail cost to the patient. Co-payments for drugs on the new PDL will remain the same. Click here for the new preferred drug list. Questions concerning drugs covered by WVCHIP should be directed to Express Scripts, Inc. (ESI) at 1-877-256-4689.  Click here to see a copy of the letter mailed out to WV CHIP families.   (2005) BENEFIT CHANGES FOR THE 2005-2006 PLAN YEAR New Pharmacy Benefit Manager for Specialty Medications is CuraScript™. New Pharmacy Benefit Manager for Drugs Requiring Preauthorization is WVU’s School of Pharmacy Rational Drug Therapy Program. MRI’s no longer need to be pre-certified. NURSELINE has been discontinued. Chiropractic Services. Any member under 16 years old is required to submit x-rays and a treatment plan to Acordia National before authorization will be given. Immunizations. WVCHIP purchases vaccines from the State’s Vaccine for Children (VFC) program. Members should receive vaccinations from providers that participate in this program. For more information, please review the July 2005 Summary Plan Description Booklet.   Benefit Change NURSELINE has been discontinued.   For general health questions, members can call CAMC's Health Information Center t 1-888-432-5849 or WVU's Healthline at 1-800-982-8242.   2005 Provider Workshops Coordinated Payor Billing Workshops WV CHIP, PEIA, Workers Compensation, and Medicaid will all be participating in the Provider Workshops.  Attendees will learn the latest changes and how they will affect you; the best way to bill each agency to assure quick, correct payment of claims; who to contact with which questions; and what to expect from new initiatives of the four state payors. The schedule is as follows: Monday, June 6                   (Flatwoods, Days Inn) Tuesday, June 7                  (Beckley, Tamarack) Wednesday, June 8             (Parkersburg, Holiday Inn) Thursday, June 9                 (Huntington, Big Sandy Superstore Arena) Monday, June 13                 (Martinsburg, Holiday Inn) Tuesday, June 14                (Morgantown,, Ramada Inn) Wednesday, June 15           (Wheeling, Ramada Plaza) Friday, June 17                    (Charleston, Charleston Marriott) For More Information, email:  JCunningham@wvadmin.gov .   Moving News   The West Virginia Children’s Health Insurance Program (WVCHIP) has moved its administrative office location as of February 1, 2005.  The new address is 1018 Kanawha Boulevard East, Suite 209, Charleston, WV  25301.  The main telephone number will remain the same:  304/558-2732.   (2004) CHIP Members May Qualify for Earned Income Tax and Child Care Credits Thousands of West Virginians have taken advantage of the federal earned income tax credit, but more could be eligible.  Is your family one of them?  The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is a federal tax credit for people who work and have an earned income less than $35,458. This tax credit can reduce the amount of tax you owe and most likely put more money in your pocket.  A person with two or more qualifying children could receive up to $4,300.  Families can file up to three years back as well. You can also take advantage of the state tax relief, which would give you a zero taxable income for West Virginia. You may also qualify for the Child Tax Credit (CTC), a federal tax credit worth up to $1000 per qualifying child. You may qualify for the CTC if you have earned income of more than $10,500 and you claim at least one dependent child under the age of 17. To find out if you qualify, contact the IRS tax information line at 1-800-829-1040, or go online to http://www.wveitc.htm Payment Accuracy Measurement (PAM) Demonstration Project The West Virginia Children's Health Insurance Program (WHCHIP) is pleased to announce that it has received a grant from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for a Payment Accuracy Measurement PAM demonstration project. West Virginia is one of the 27 states to participate in this project in response to the Improper Payment's Information Act of 2002. The PAM Project will test the accuracy of Title XXI State Children's Health Insurance Program procedures and will ensure the integrity of eligibility, claims processes, and claims amounts within WVCHIP. This grant will enable this program to be piloted with 100% federal funding with the expectation of mandatory nationwide implementation.   (2003) Wise Announces An Additional 18 Million For Children's Health Insurance – Praises West Virginia's effort to insure children. August 25, 2003 – Office of Communications, Office of the Governor Charleston , W. Va. – Gov. Bob today announced that more West Virginia children will have health insurance thanks to a bill recently passed by Congress (CHIP). Without this legislation, the unused funds from prior years would have been returned to the U.S. Treasury. “West Virginia has done a great job with CHIP,” Wise said. “our enrollment is at an all-time high with more than 22,000 West Virginia children insured. This increase allows the program to spend all of its federal funds and draw down redistributed funds from other states.” The Governor praised the efforts of Senator Rockefeller, who was a key proponent of this legislation. Sixty percent of the nation's CHIP programs exceeded their federally allocated funds. Because of increased enrollment and effective used of funds, West Virginia was eligible for $37.4 million in additional funding redistributed from others states. Under the previous federal allocation formula, WVCHIP received $18.7 million in May; the state could only draw down these funds for a three-month period after exhausting funds from prior years. Passage of this bill means an additional $18.7 million will be made available to WVCHIP for the federal fiscal year beginning Oct 1, 2003 . Funding for WVCHIP had been a concern since a legislative performance evaluation review forecasted a possible future deficit for 2007. “This legislation is truly important for WVCHIP because it reduces the likelihood of a future deficit prior to reauthorization of the CHIP statute by Congress in 2007,” said Executive Director Sharon Carte. “I think we can feel more confident that federal funding and commitment for our children's health coverage are there. It is reassuring that Congress believes in the importance of the program.” For more information on the program, visit www.wvchip.org or call 1-877-wva-chip.   Prevention Summer 2003 - Free for all CHIP Cardholders! ATTENTION PARENTS: SUMMERTIME! Are your kids ready for outdoor sports? swimming? summer camp? If this winter had you snowed in or too busy for your child's physical, then take advantage of your preventive visits now! Avoid the back-to-school rush and schedule your kids with the doctor, dentist or vision specialist now -- during those early lazy and less hectic days of summer! Call today so your kids don't have to miss school to visit the doctor or dentist and they will be school ready for the fall. You can even get a replacement or an extra pair of glasses or contact lenses at this time. Families will soon receive an educational brochure and flyer in the mail describing services covered by this Campaign. ATTENTION WV PROVIDERS: WV CHIP will be offering a higher reimbursement fee for preventive services delivered between May 15 and September 30 as part of Prevention Summer 2003. The following list shows the percentage of increase added to the current reimbursement rate for preventive services delivered during the Campaign.  Provider Percentage of Increased Reimbursement Rate Physicians 25% Optometrists 25% Ophthalmologists 25% Opticians 25% Dentists 33% Providers will also soon receive information in the mail describing services covered by the Prevention Campaign.  For more information about the Prevention Summer 2003 Campaign, call the toll-free helpline at 1-877-982-2447 or the CHIP office at (304) 558-2732.   Non-Drowsy, 24 hour Allergy Medication Available Without A Prescription If you currently take Clarinex, Zyrtec or Allegra you can now get prescription-strength medicine without a prescription.  Loratadine (a non-sedating antihistamine) was recently approved for over-the-counter sale by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA), which means you no longer need a prescription from a physician to purchase products with Loratadine. Prescription-strength products now available over-the-counter are: Claritin Tablets Clartin RediTabs Tablets (dissolve without water) Children's Claritin Syrup Claritin D (antihistamine and decongestant) Alavert Tablets (dissolve without water) Even if you don't have allergies, you can still benefit from using these products when you have a cold. It's just one pill a day and you're on your way to feeling better. For more information and to obtain coupons, visit www.claritin.com and www.alavert.com. April 1, 2003 - New Income Guidelines for the WV CHIP Program The new guidelines, given by the Federal Government went into effect on Tuesday, April 1st. The new Income Guidelines can be viewed by clicking on the "Income Guidelines" button to the left. CHIP Members May Qualify for Earned Income Tax and Child Care Credits Thousands of West Virginians have taken advantage of the federal earned income tax credit, but more could be eligible. Is your family one of them?  The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is a federal tax credit for people who work and have an earned income less than $33,178. This tax credit can reduce the amount of tax you owe and most likely put more money in your pocket. A person with one or more qualifying children could receive up to $4,140. Families can file up to three years back as well. You can also take advantage of the state tax relief, which would give you a zero taxable income for West Virginia. You may also qualify for the Child Tax Credit (CTC), a federal tax credit worth up to $600 per qualifying child. You may qualify for the CTC if you have earned income of more than $10,000 and you claim at least one dependent child under the age of 17. To find out if you qualify, contact the IRS tax information line at 1-800-829-1040, or go online to http://www.wveitc.htm . WV CHIP Benefit Plan Summary (and Comparison of WV Medicaid Benefits) A chart which lists comparisons of the benefits covered under the Children's Health Insurance Program and the WV Department of Health and Human Resources Medicaid program is now available. Click here to view the chart. Children's Day at the Legislature Children's Day at the Legislature will be held Thursday, February 13, 2003 at the State Capitol. It will begin at 8:30 A.M. and end at 12:30 P.M. If you are interested in setting up a booth, please contact The Coalition for West Virginia's Children at 304/342-6972, or 800/883-5190.   (2002) Wise Calls For a Workable Insurance Plan for West Virginians Office of Communications, Friday, November 22, 2002 CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Gov. Bob Wise sounded one of the recurring themes of his administration Friday when he encouraged leaders from around the state to “create a workable plan that offers health coverage for all West Virginians.” Wise spoke to a Health Advisory Council made up of leaders from around the state who are interested in health care. For the entire press release...... Governor Wise Launches Earned Income Tax Credit Campaign Office of Communications, Friday, November 22, 2002 "Every dollar counts -- we all know that. Any time any of us can save a dollar, we look for that opportunity," Wise said. "Last year, 132,871 working West Virginians received the Earned Income Tax Credit for a total of more than $211 million." For the entire press release...... State Plan The 2002 "State Plan" submitted by CHIP to the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) is available for viewing in .pdf format. The 2002 "State Plan" is available on our Reports page. Health Policy Research Report To see the Institute for Health Policy Research report entitled: Health Insurance in West Virginia: The Children's Report, click on the title. This report was released April, 2002, and is expected to give the state's healthcare programs new information about who, where, and even how to target populations that are most in need. (Note: The report is available in pdf format.)  OXYCONTIN - Prescription Requirement Change effective November 1st, 2002 Express Scripts, Inc. (ESI) sent a letter to providers on October 1, 2002, regarding the upcoming change which will require prior authorization for Oxycontin. Click here to see the letter.  Ensuring Health Care for Our Children by Governor Bob Wise (Governor's Office of Communications-Friday, October 4, 2002)  All children deserve health care -- it’s that simple. We have taken great steps in the last year to ensure that West Virginia’s children have access to quality health care. We have been aggressively getting the word out to parents that they can get coverage for their children. I have walked neighborhoods across the state to talk with West Virginians about CHIP. Many community health clinics are working to help parents sign up for this vital program. For the entire press release...... October is Children's Health Month! Discover the Rewards! Celebrate Children's Health Month by learning ways to keep your kids healthy and safe. By visiting the Children's Health Month website you can have access to the Presidential Proclamation, information on various Children's Health Topics, a Calendar of Tips to Protect Children, and a link to an area "Just for Kids". The President's Task Force on Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks to Children is leading this effort to celebrate Children's Health Month. Save Your Money, Save Your Health A health promotion insert, "Save Your Money, Save Your Health", with fun and helpful information for parents and children on different health related issues and insurance was to be distributed through the following newspapers on Wednesday, September 25th: the Bluefield Daily Telegraph, Charleston Gazette, Charleston Daily Mail, and Beckley's Register-Herald. Additional copies will be made available for distribution to schools and primary care clinics throughout the State. To see the entire Press Release, click here. Notice of Changes for WV CHIP beginning July 1, 2002 Changes are being made to the West Virginia Children's Health Insurance Program which will take effect on July 1, 2002. Please click here for more information and a complete list of the Program changes.  New Drug Formulary Starting: July 1, 2002 WV CHIP will have a new Pharmacy Benefits Manager on July 1, 2002. Click here to review the new formulary (preferred drug list) that will be used through Express Scripts, Inc., starting July 1, 2002.  The next meeting of the Children's Health Insurance Board will be on Thursday, November 14, 2002. The location is the Tiger Morton Conference Room, in Building 3, at the State Capitol Complex, beginning at 10:30 am.  Back-To-School Events There are many events scheduled across the State to pass on information about the CHIP program. Some events include health fairs, street fairs, and pool parties. Please check the Outreach Events Calendar for "Back-To-School" events in your area of the State.  Wise visits local families to promote CHIP  (Anna L. Mallory, Parkersburg News and Sentinel) Ninety-four percent of West Virginia's children have health care coverage, but the remaining six percent are of the most vital concern, proponents of the West Virginia Children's Health Insurance Program said. To create awareness of child health care availability, Gov. Bob Wise, along with four volunteer groups, marched through the streets of Parkersburg touting WV CHIP, a low-cost and often free health insurance program for the State's families. For the entire article...... Wise Walks Huntington Neighborhoods Promoting CHIP  (Governor's Press Office-Monday, July 8, 2002) Governor Bob Wise continued his walking tour this morning going door to door in several neighborhoods in Huntington promoting the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Wise walked on 9th Avenue from 16th Street to 20th Street with more than 25 volunteers to encourage families to enroll in the program, which provides health care for children of families who make too much to qualify for Medicaid, but not enough to afford insurance coverage. For the entire article... Governor Goes Door-To-Door for CHIP Plan (Jennifer Roush - The Dominion Post-Monday, July 1, 2002) Gov. Bob Wise's West Virginia Children's Health Insurance Program ball cap served to deflect some of the afternoon heat in Morgantown on Monday. New Balance tennis shoes eased the governor's venture. For the entire article... Register for WalkAmerica, 2002! Be a hero for the tiniest babies! WalkAmerica, through March of Dimes, is the walk that saves babies. Every year, nearly half a million babies are born premature. And each year, nearly half a million people in 1,400 communities nationwide take part in WalkAmerica to save those babies.  Register for WalkAmerica today! Click here for more information and a list of event locations scheduled throughout West Virginia beginning in April, 2002, and continuing through the Fall of 2002. West Virginia State Fair (August 9-17) The WV Healthy Kids Coalition and CHIP will have an information booth open at the State Fair in Lewisburg (Greenbrier County). The CHIP information booth will be open from 9am-9pm each day of the Fair, and is located under the grandstand. Volunteers will be working in shifts and will be available to answer questions about CHIP, and to give out information and applications. Get the latest information on the WV State Fair! West Virginia Families Deserve A Break Every year, West Virginia families across the state struggle to make ends meet and to scrape together money to pay for back-to-school shopping trips. Last year, Governor Bob Wise introduced a bill the Legislature passed that will make these shopping trips a little easier on the pocketbooks of our families. For the entire article, please click here. Multifest with Health Fair on Saturday 1:00-5:00 P.M. Multifest, an annual festival, celebrating multi-cultural diversity will be held on the State Capitol Grounds starting Friday, August 2, through Sunday, August 4, 2002. The Health Van will be there Saturday, from 1-5pm, and health services personnel will be available to do cholesterol screenings, blood pressure checks, and other services. WV CHIP will have a booth available to give out WV CHIP information and applications. Changed Meeting Date for the WV Healthy Kids Coalition's August Meeting. The meeting date for the August WV Healthy Kids Coalition has been rescheduled to August 29th at 10:00 am. The meeting will be held at the WV Hospital Association. For more information, please call Brian Cunningham, WV Primary Care Association at 304/346-0032.

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