West Virginia Considers Allowing People with Disabilities to Buy Into Medicaid

A West Virginia House subcommittee is investigating whether the state can implement a program to allow employed people who have disabilities to buy into Medicaid without increasing a projected $78 million Medicaid budget deficit for the fiscal year beginning in July 2003, the Charleston Daily Mail reports. Already, 11 states have established Medicaid buy-in programs for people with disabilities and four others have enacted legislation to do so since 1997, when the federal government approved the option, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. The federal government expanded the option in 1999 to allow states to permit working people with disabilities with incomes up to 250% of the federal poverty level to purchase Medicaid coverage. West Virginia Sen. Bob Plymale (D) said state lawmakers hope to decide by January 2003 whether to recommend the state implement a buy-in program. As part of its evaluation process, the subcommittee plans to hold hearings this June, Plymale said (Wallace, Charleston Daily Mail, 5/21).