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Medicaid Expansion Gets Federal Approval

Steve Helber
/
AP

 

 

Virginia officials announced Thursday that Medicaid Expansion is a go, and newly eligible populations will be able to sign up during this year’s open enrollment. That comes after federal officials gave the state approval last week.

 

Open enrollment begins November 1st, and the newly eligible population will be able to enroll for plans that start January 2019. Virginia will be the first state to expand eligibility under the Trump administration.

State officials expected the federal government’s approval, but now that they officially have it they’re getting the word out.

“Those that are hardworking Virginians that are not able to get health insurance through their work are going to be able to get health insurance through Medicaid,” says Virginia’s Secretary of Health and Human Resources Daniel Carey. “It’s for preventative services, it’s for medicines, it’s for hospitalizations.And for us it really means adding to the security that hardworking Virginians are going to have that they haven’t had in the past.”

The state is also going through a separate process to reform Medicaid, including adding work requirements. Federal approval for that is expected to take much longer.

People can learn more and find out if they’re eligible, by going to coverva.org.

 
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.

Mallory Noe-Payne is a Radio IQ reporter based in Richmond.