West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) Cabinet Secretary Bill J. Crouch today announced major cost savings in the Medicaid program have allowed for a budget reduction of approximately $160 million in general revenue funds for DHHR. These savings are the result of program changes that have created greater efficiencies in the Department and will be redirected to support other areas of critical need within DHHR including Child Protective Services and cost increases in state-owned hospitals, as well as toward statewide efforts facilitating economic growth.
Secretary Crouch has stated often that when he accepted the position of Cabinet Secretary, Governor Jim Justice asked him to run the agency as he would a business. Secretary Crouch has taken that directive seriously, implementing the Governor’s directives of practical spending cuts to increase revenue that supports sensible public investment.
“Through responsible, fiscal management at DHHR and with the help of our great staff in DHHR’s Bureau for Medical Services we have worked to follow Gov. Justice’s lead and make the most of state dollars,” said Crouch. “As the state refocuses taxpayer dollars toward efforts that promise to improve the economy, the economic growth should continue to lessen the need of DHHR services in the future as more of our citizens reach self-sufficiency. We are pleased that the West Virginia Legislature supported DHHR’s decisions over the past few years which allowed savings to be generated.”