BY CARRIE HODOUSEK
CHARLESTON — West Virginia leaders are preparing for the federal disaster declaration to end in May in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic.
State InterAgency Task Force Director Jim Hoyer said there are a few steps the state will need to take to make sure they close out their response efforts the right way.
“We’ll have a lot of work to do on the back end to make sure that work has been done properly and appropriately, that we do all the appropriate audits to make sure that we’re fiscally responsible with the resources that were made available to us,” Hoyer said during Gov. Jim Justice’s media briefing last week.
The White House announced earlier this year that the COVID-19 public health emergency, declared by the Trump administration in March 2020, will end on May 11.
The emergency enabled different state agencies to move quickly to provide free access to COVID-19 tests, screenings, vaccinations and treatments, among other things. It also allowed people who lost their jobs or had their work hours cut back to get health insurance coverage through Medicaid.
Hoyer warns some West Virginians could lose their Medicaid coverage when the disaster declaration expires after May 11 because they will no longer qualify.
“We encourage anyone who has the ability to do so and is involved or uses those services — Medicaid, CHIP and SNAP — to go to wvpath.wv.org and be aware of the changes and benefits that are occurring and how it impacts you and your family,” he said.
The change could impact low-income residents who need access to care and can’t afford large medical bills. Hospitals, doctors and others who rely on payments from Medicaid will also see a change. The state, meanwhile, is making sure they don’t disenroll people who are still entitled to Medicaid.
The Biden administration has predicted 15 million people will lose coverage through Medicaid or CHIP (Children’s Health Insurance Program) as the programs return to normal operations.
Hoyer said children ages 6 months to 4 years old who got the Pfizer vaccine are now eligible for an omicron booster shot. He encouraged parents to stay up-to-date on their child’s vaccines.
“Please reach out to your child’s health care provider and ask questions and find out which shots may be due for your child,” he said.
Getting a COVID shot is still key to preventing serious illness, Hoyer said.
“Vaccination is the best protection not just from getting seriously ill or potentially dying from COVID, but also to prevent the effects of long COVID,” he said.
Residents can visit vaccinate.wv.gov to check their vaccination status. The WV COVID-19 Vaccination Info Hotline is also available at 1-833-734-0965.
There have been 8,000 deaths related to COVID-19 in West Virginia since the start of the pandemic.
