West Virginians for Affordable Health Care (WVAHC) formed in 2006 in anticipation of major health care reform in the United States.  Its mission is to promote state and federal policy to assure all West Virginians have access to quality, affordable health care. WVAHC works tirelessly to provide public education on health policy as well as bringing consumer voices to the table. 

Perry Bryant, a former WV Public Employees Insurance Agency Finance Board member, founded WVAHC with the help of an advisory group consisting of physicians, elected officials and a former Medicaid director and child health advocate.

Under Perry’s leadership, WVAHC led the charge on Medicaid expansion, arguably the most significant health care reform West Virginia has made. WVAHC promoted use of an actuarial study to estimate how many Mountaineers would gain health care coverage, along with state and federal cost estimates and economic benefits that would result. 

Since its inception, WVHAC has worked consistently to preserve and protect Medicaid as well as support the Affordable Care Act (ACA). In 2012, WVAHC published “A Citizen’s Guide to the Affordable Care Act” for outreach and educational programs throughout the state.

Some WVAHC key milestones and victories include:

• Ushering in the annual Rockefeller Award given annually for lifetime achievement in health care.
• Initiating and holding an annual Medicaid Summit to highlight policy changes and emerging issues.
• Expanding its work and capacity to address children’s health concerns.
• Worked as a collaborative partner to expand the Medicaid dental benefit from $1000 to $2000 allowing Medicaid recipients more flexibility to purchase dentures – both sets – at the same time.
• Supported the robust immunization laws which ultimately resulted in the veto of anti-vaccination legislation.
• Successfully advocated for and helped pass a law expanding Medicaid coverage to pregnant women and their newborn infants to 185 percent of the federal poverty level and to provide coverage up to 1-year postpartum.