More than 200,000 Virginians enroll in Medicaid

More than 200,000 Virginia adults are now enrolled in Medicaid and will have health coverage starting Jan. 1, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam said last week. Virginia's General Assembly approved an expansion of Medicaid in the state earlier this year.

The new coverage is available to men and women ages 19 through 64 who are not eligible for Medicare and who meet income requirements, which vary by family size. For example, a single adult with an annual income at or below $16,754 may be eligible for coverage. An adult in a three-person family with a total household annual income at or below $28,677 may be eligible. Medicaid applications are accepted year round.

“This bipartisan initiative has empowered men and women across the Commonwealth to take an active role in improving their health,” Northam said. “The historic response from our citizens demonstrates the need for access to health coverage that will benefit our families, our communities and Virginia’s economy. I encourage uninsured individuals to learn more about this new health coverage opportunity and to apply today.”

The Cover Virginia Call Center has received nearly 170,000 calls since it began accepting Medicaid applications under the new eligibility rules on November 1. The call center logged more than 6,000 calls on Nov. 1, the largest number in a single day since the facility first opened in July 2001. The call center has topped that number on five other days since then, including Nov. 26, when the call volume exceeded 7,000.

More information about the new health coverage and eligibility rules is available at http://www.coverVA.org.

The website includes an eligibility screening tool to help citizens assess whether they may qualify for coverage. Visitors to the website may sign up to receive regular information through email and text about the new coverage and enrollment process. Information also is available by calling 1-855-242-8282. Those who are deaf or hearing impaired may call 1-888-221-1590. The call center is closed Near Year’s Day, but is open for its regular hours on New Year’s Eve. Regular call center hours are Monday through Friday 8 a.m. until 7 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. until noon.

“The progress that we have made to date galvanizes us as we continue to build on these tremendous results,” said Virginia Department of Social Services Commissioner Duke Storen. “The spirit of collaboration and our joint commitment to the people we serve brought us to this point, and I look forward to celebrating many more successes as we continue working together to make a positive impact on the health of our citizens.”