“WRNR: Let’s talk about HB 3274. The affordable Medicaid buy-in bill. First and foremost, I have to pressume, Dr. Ice ,that this was proposed by the Republican majority in the state legislature. What are the odds of it passing?
Jessica: We feel fairly confident about getting this through. To us it’s a no-brainer policy solution to a problem that we have in this state.
WRNR: Tell me what the bill would do and who it would effect.
Jessica Ice: Ok, so what this bill would do. Let me tell you about the problem first. What this bill is trying to address is what we call a Medicaid cliff. Which is when folks work their way up the economic ladder and then they become suddenly ineligible for Medicaid health insurance. So they fall of what they the Medicaid cliff. But perhaps its too expensive to join the marketplace plan for insurance. This bill would give Medicaid type insurance coverage for WV workers between 138% and 200% of the federal poverty level. Currently Medicaid goes up to 138% of the federal poverty level for WVians.”
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