House 4772

WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE

2026 REGULAR SESSION

Introduced

House Bill 4772

By Delegates Chiarelli, J. Cannon, Hornby, Hite, Worrell, Pritt, Shamblin, Linville, Browning, Riley, and Holstein

[Introduced January 23, 2026; referred to the Committee on Health and Human Resources]

A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding a new section, designated §9-5-34, relating to requiring Bureau of Medical Services to verify and remove deceased Medicaid enrollees; requiring data matches with official death records; mandating the termination of eligibility upon proof of an enrollee's death; authorizing data-sharing agreements and annual audits; requiring an annual report to the Legislature; and providing an effective date.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

ARTICLE 5. MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS.

§9-5-34. Periodic Verification and Removal of Deceased Medicaid Enrollees.

(a) The Legislature finds that regular verification of enrollee status and prompt removal of deceased individuals from active Medicaid rolls is necessary to ensure the integrity of West Virginia's Medicaid program.

(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of code to the contrary, the West Virginia Department of Human Services ("DoHS") Bureau for Medical Services ("BMS") shall develop a process of periodic verification of Medicaid enrollees and removal of deceased enrollees.  BMS shall conduct data matches between Medicaid eligibility files and death records, verifying deaths through the West Virginia Department of Health's Office of Vital Statistics, Health Statistics Center ("HSC") and the Social Security Administration's Death Master File ("DMF") every month.

(c) Upon verification of an enrollee's deceased status, the BMS is required to terminate a Medicaid enrollee's eligibility and cease payments for any deceased enrollee effective as of the date of death.

(d) The BMS is authorized to enter into necessary data-sharing agreements among BMS, West Virginia's Online Voucher System ("OVS"), and any relevant federal agencies to include but not be limited to the Social Security Administration ("SSA").

(e) The West Virginia Office of Inspector General ("OIG") shall conduct annual audits of the verification process and removal of ineligible Medicaid enrollees.

(f) The BMS shall provide an annual report to the Legislative Oversight Commission on Health and Human Resources Accountability ("LOCHHRA") on the number of deceased enrollees removed and estimated cost avoidance.  

(g) This section shall take effect on July 1, 2026.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to require Bureau of Medical Services to verify and remove deceased Medicaid enrollees; the bill requires data matches with official death records; mandates the termination of eligibility upon proof of an enrollee's death; authorizes data-sharing agreements and annual audits; requires an annual report to the Legislature; and provides an effective date.

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.