West Virginia Health Insurance

How healthy is living in West Virginia?

West Virgina earned the #42 spot in the ranking of the 50 healthiest states by the United Health Foundation.

The state's best and worst category rankings:

• Prevalence of smoking – 50
• Prevalence of bing drinking – 2
• Prevalence of obesity – 48
• Occupational fatalities – 46
• Children in poverty – 41
• Air pollution – 46
• Public health funding – 5
• Preventable hospitalizations – 50
• Poor mental health days – 49
• Poor physical health days – 50
• Cardiovascular deaths – 47
• Cancer deaths – 48
• Premature death – 44

See the United Health Foundation's latest findings on West Virginia.

Does West Virginia have a risk pool for the uninsurable?

West Virginia Health Insurance Plan
1-866-445-8491

IMPORTANT UPDATE: Starting in 2010, West Virginia will offer health coverage to residents through the federally established temporary high-risk pool program. To find out more about West Virginia's participation, click here.

Risk pools are state-sponsored programs to help people with a history of medical problems in their family to purchase coverage. These pools are for people who can afford to buy health insurance, but are not able to get underwritten in the private market because of a pre-existing health condition. These programs can vary significantly from state to state in price, benefits and number of people served. Often insurance companies doing business in the state are required to contribute to the pool to keep it in the black. In the best cases, they allow people to be able to switch jobs or become self-employed without the fear of losing their health insurance coverage. Read more about risk pools here.

Cover The Uninsured's guide on finding health insurance in West Virginia

Cover The Uninsured is a national effort to highlight the fact that too many Americans are living without health insurance and to demand solutions from our nation's leaders. Read more information on its efforts. It is a project of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

• Cover The Uninsured's facts on the uninsured in West Virginia and all other states.
• Its guide on how to find health insurance in West Virginia.
• Materiales En Español – Guías para encontrar cobertura de seguro de salud.

Georgetown University's Guide to Health Insurance in West Virginia

Georgetown University's Health Policy Institute has researched and written state-by-state guides for finding and keeping health insurance. It updates these guides as federal and state policies change. A number of non-profit organizations help fund its research. Learn more about the Health Policy Institute.

Review Georgetown's guide for West Virginia.

USNews health insurance rankings for West Virginia

US News does an annual ranking of what it considers the best health insurance plans in each state. Visit its reports on various health insurance or medical insurance plans being offered in West Virginia.

Official State Goverment Sites with West Virginia Health Insurance Information

West Virginia Children's Health Insurance Program (WVCHIP) -- a low cost health care plan for children and teenagers of working families.

West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources -- administers programs aimed toward the citizens of West Virginia.

West Virginia Medicaid Program -- information on the federal/state program to provide health coverage for those without the means to pay for it.