WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Jay Rockefeller today announced $999,947 in federal grant funding from the health reform law for the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources to help measure and improve the treatment of adults on Medicaid.

“Making sure that every American has access to quality, affordable health care is at the heart of the health reform law, and to realize that goal we must look at what can be done better,” said Rockefeller. “This grant gives West Virginia the opportunity to assess the care Medicaid enrollees are receiving and use that information to strengthen the quality of that care and the overall Medicaid program. More than 438,000 West Virginians – 23 percent of our state’s population – count on Medicaid, which makes improving health care for Medicaid recipients that much more important.”

The funding comes from the Department of Health and Human Services’ Adult Medicaid Quality Grant Program, which helps states develop a system of data reporting and collection to evaluate the quality of health care provided to adults covered by Medicaid. Having this data available allows states to assess how they can improve care for Medicaid beneficiaries.

The Adult Medicaid Quality Grant program was created by the Affordable Care Act, which contained provisions that invest in developing and reporting quality of care measures and create incentives for providers who meet quality goals or show progress in improving patient outcomes.

Rockefeller has been a staunch supporter of Medicaid and is a national leader in the fight to protect it.

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