NEW WEST VIRGINIA MEDICAID RULES PROMOTE Rx COMPLIANCE

West Virginia Medicaid recipients who fail to taketheir medications on schedule risk losing access tosome medical benefits, under a new state planapproved by federal regulators.

According to the plan, Medicaid patients will berequired to enter into "personal responsibility contracts." They will pledge to remain in compliancewith their medication therapy, to show up for medicalappointments, to exercise, and to take othersteps to improve their health. Those who do willreceive credits in a "Healthy Rewards Account" thatcan be used to obtain optional health services.

Those who fail to take their prescribed medicinesor otherwise violate their contract risk losing benefitsfor diabetes care, cardiac rehabilitation, or mentalhealth treatment. Children and disabled Medicaidrecipients, however, will not face any loss of benefitsunder the plan.