The Times:
Last week, I attended a meeting convened for community partners and nonprofits preparing for the 2027 Medicaid changes. These changes will occur during January of the new year, changes written into the Republicans’ “Big Beautiful Bill” which became law July 4, 2025, making significant changes to West Virginia Medicaid. Changes to the SNAP nutrition program for children are already underway.
The bill also includes several major changes and restrictions affecting the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace subsidies, while failing to extend the temporary enhanced ACA subsidies. Health insurance companies have already responded to this legislation by significantly increasing premiums.
These reductions in health insurance and food access for many families and children will come at the peak of the winter flu season. It is critically important for the many West Virginia families who rely on Medicaid and SNAP to learn now how they will navigate the new requirements.
Most people who will lose their health insurance coverage and their SNAP benefits will not lose them because they are ineligible, but because they are not informed how (or neglect) to do the significant amount of paperwork required to maintain their coverage for these programs.
In order to be prepared to take steps to maintain healthcare insurance and SNAP benefits, there are several points for assistance here in Franklin, as well as online and by phone. A few are as follows:
Pendleton County Family Support Center – (304) 538-7711, 30 Maple Ave, 26807
WV Medicaid Help – WVMedicaidHelp.org
WV PATH – path.wv.gov
DoHS Customer Service – (877) 716-1212, os*****@**.gov
Healthy families and well-nourished children are critical to a vibrant, thriving West Virginia. Let’s not be stopped by this pile of new government regulations and paperwork.
J. King Seegar, MD
