West Virginia CHIP: Children's Health Insurance Program
Updated August 2026
WVCHIP (West Virginia Children's Health Insurance Program) covers uninsured children under 19 whose family income is above the Medicaid limit, sorted into one of three income-based plans: WVCHIP Gold, WVCHIP Blue, and the WV Premium Plan. WVCHIP is administered by the Bureau for Medical Services (BMS) alongside West Virginia Medicaid. Apply through WVPATH at wvpath.wv.gov or call the WVCHIP toll-free helpline at 1-877-982-2447.
Gold, Blue, Premium
Three income-based WVCHIP plan tiers
$35–$71/mo
WV Premium Plan monthly cost (highest income tier)
5%
Annual out-of-pocket cost cap (of household income)
Apply even if a parent is uninsured or undocumented
Children may qualify for WVCHIP regardless of their parents' immigration status. Parents applying only on behalf of a child are not required to provide their own Social Security numbers or immigration documents. This is standard policy under federal Medicaid and CHIP rules nationwide.
Who qualifies for WVCHIP
WVCHIP covers children under 19 who live in West Virginia, are not currently covered by Medicaid, and whose household income falls within the income guidelines below. The program uses the same application and renewal process as West Virginia Medicaid — one application through WVPATH determines whether a child qualifies for Medicaid or WVCHIP, and which of the three WVCHIP plans applies.
- Child must be under age 19
- Household income within the qualifying guidelines for one of the three WVCHIP plans (see table below)
- Child must be a West Virginia resident
- Child must be a U.S. citizen, national, or qualified non-citizen
- Child must not be eligible for West Virginia Medicaid
| Family size | WVCHIP Gold (minimal co-pays) — monthly/annual | WVCHIP Blue (all co-pays apply) — monthly/annual | WV Premium Plan (all co-pays apply) — monthly/annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | $2,705 / $32,460 | $3,806 / $45,661 | $5,410 / $64,920 |
| 3 | $3,415 / $40,980 | $4,804 / $57,646 | $6,830 / $81,960 |
| 4 | $4,125 / $49,500 | $5,803 / $69,630 | $8,250 / $99,000 |
| 5 | $4,835 / $58,020 | $6,802 / $81,615 | $9,670 / $116,040 |
| 6 | $5,545 / $66,540 | $7,800 / $93,600 | $11,090 / $133,080 |
| 7 | $6,255 / $75,060 | $8,799 / $105,585 | $12,510 / $150,120 |
2
- WVCHIP Gold (minimal co-pays) — monthly/annual
- $2,705 / $32,460
- WVCHIP Blue (all co-pays apply) — monthly/annual
- $3,806 / $45,661
- WV Premium Plan (all co-pays apply) — monthly/annual
- $5,410 / $64,920
3
- WVCHIP Gold (minimal co-pays) — monthly/annual
- $3,415 / $40,980
- WVCHIP Blue (all co-pays apply) — monthly/annual
- $4,804 / $57,646
- WV Premium Plan (all co-pays apply) — monthly/annual
- $6,830 / $81,960
4
- WVCHIP Gold (minimal co-pays) — monthly/annual
- $4,125 / $49,500
- WVCHIP Blue (all co-pays apply) — monthly/annual
- $5,803 / $69,630
- WV Premium Plan (all co-pays apply) — monthly/annual
- $8,250 / $99,000
5
- WVCHIP Gold (minimal co-pays) — monthly/annual
- $4,835 / $58,020
- WVCHIP Blue (all co-pays apply) — monthly/annual
- $6,802 / $81,615
- WV Premium Plan (all co-pays apply) — monthly/annual
- $9,670 / $116,040
6
- WVCHIP Gold (minimal co-pays) — monthly/annual
- $5,545 / $66,540
- WVCHIP Blue (all co-pays apply) — monthly/annual
- $7,800 / $93,600
- WV Premium Plan (all co-pays apply) — monthly/annual
- $11,090 / $133,080
7
- WVCHIP Gold (minimal co-pays) — monthly/annual
- $6,255 / $75,060
- WVCHIP Blue (all co-pays apply) — monthly/annual
- $8,799 / $105,585
- WV Premium Plan (all co-pays apply) — monthly/annual
- $12,510 / $150,120
Source: chip.wv.gov Eligibility page and WVCHIP Income Guidelines & Co-Pays.
WVCHIP premiums and cost-sharing
WVCHIP Gold and WVCHIP Blue do not charge a monthly premium — Gold has minimal co-pays, and Blue has the full WVCHIP co-pay schedule. The WV Premium Plan, for the highest income tier, requires a monthly premium of $35 for families with one member enrolled and $71 for families with two or more members enrolled, in addition to co-pays. Federal CHIP rules limit total out-of-pocket costs to 5% of household income per year.
Note: WVCHIP suspended Premium Plan invoicing for a period and resumed sending monthly premium invoices in December 2025 — confirm current billing status at chip.wv.gov or by calling the WVCHIP helpline.
Small co-pays apply to certain services such as non-emergency hospital visits. Preventive care, immunizations, and well-child visits are generally exempt from co-pays. Children who are members of a federally recognized American Indian or Alaska Native tribe do not pay co-pays once enrolled.
What WVCHIP covers
WVCHIP provides comprehensive children's health coverage through Mountain Health Trust managed care — the same delivery system as West Virginia Medicaid.
- Well-child visits and immunizations
- Primary care doctor visits and specialist referrals
- Prescription drugs
- Emergency and urgent care
- Inpatient hospital care
- Mental health services
- Substance use disorder treatment
- Dental care (comprehensive under EPSDT)
- Vision care and eyeglasses
- Physical, occupational, and speech therapy
- West Virginia HealthCheck (EPSDT) screenings
How to apply for WVCHIP
Apply for WVCHIP through WVPATH at wvpath.wv.gov. The single application covers both West Virginia Medicaid and WVCHIP — the WV Department of Human Services (DoHS) determines the applicable program based on household income. You can also call the WVCHIP toll-free helpline at 1-877-982-2447, or visit a local DoHS field office. For case-specific matters like reporting a newborn's Social Security number, contact the DoHS Customer Service Center at 1-877-716-1212.
What CHIP is
CHIP — the Children's Health Insurance Program — is a federal-state partnership that covers children in families whose income is too high for Medicaid but too low to afford private insurance. Congress created CHIP in 1997 under Title XXI of the Social Security Act. Like Medicaid, CHIP is jointly funded by the federal government and each state, and each state administers its own program.
CHIP serves children up to age 19 (some states cover to 21 for children in foster care). It is not available to adults — CHIP is specifically designed to address the coverage gap for children in working families.
Nationally, CHIP covers approximately 7 million children, according to CMS data. In most states, it is a seamless part of the broader children's health coverage system alongside Medicaid.
West Virginia Medicaid
- Apply for WVCHIP: wvpath.wv.gov
- WVCHIP toll-free helpline: 1-877-982-2447
- WVCHIP (WV Department of Human Services): chip.wv.gov
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