Health Benefits Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

Cunningham Named Director Of PEIA

Gov. Jim Justice announced Brian Cunningham as the new director of the state’s Public Employee Insurance Agency Wednesday.

Cunningham grew up in Ivydale, West Virginia, and graduated from Clay County High School. He earned his bachelor’s degree from West Virginia University and moved to Charleston to work with community health centers.

Most recently, he served as a consultant to the West Virginia Medicaid Managed Care program and as the Director of WV PATH.

WV PATH, or People’s Access To Help aids West Virginians in signing up for state benefits.

Justice said he is confident in Cunningham’s appointment as director.

“Brian has spent his career working with community health centers and, and nonprofits, and he’s most recently, he was the director of the West Virginia PATH program, and a consultant to the Medicaid management or managed care program,” Justice said. “Naturally, I’m really excited to bring Brian on as our director of PEIA. It’s a big job.”

Appalachia Health News is a project of West Virginia Public Broadcasting with support from Charleston Area Medical Center and Marshall Health.

Miners March in Southwestern PA to Safeguard Pensions and Benefits

Thousands of miners have rallied and marched in southwestern Pennsylvania to safeguard pensions and health benefits.

The United Mine Workers of America says it’s concerned because environmental regulations on coal-burning plants have combined with abundant supplies of natural gas to drive down demand for coal at power plants.

Earlier this week, Virginia-based Alpha Natural Resources asked a bankruptcy judge to let it break a union contract so the company can reorganize its finances.

The union says Friday’s rally and march from the Greene County Airport to the Greene County Fairgrounds was a “demonstration of solidarity” as the coal industry has dealt with down-sizing and bankruptcies.

The union says although judges can void contracts in bankruptcy court, the union must still agree to work under any amended contracts.

W.Va. Public Workers Could See Health Benefit Cuts

Workers covered by the Public Employees Insurance Agency could see reductions in their benefits next year.

The Public Employees Insurance Agency has proposed $40 million in benefits cuts. PEIA executive director Ted Cheatham tells the Charleston Daily Mail that comments gathered during public hearings show workers aren’t happy with the changes.

Cheatham says the PEIA’s finance board will consider the public comments when it finalizes the plan on Dec. 4. The changes would go into effect July 1, 2015.

Cheatham says the reductions are necessary because the agency has spent its active reserves to prevent premium increases. The reserves are exhausted.