West Virginia House Passes Bill to Promote Healthy Lifestyles

The Make West Virginia Healthy Act aims to combat chronic diseases and improve the state's poor health metrics.

Published on Feb. 9, 2026

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The West Virginia House of Delegates passed House Bill 4982, the Make West Virginia Healthy Act of 2026, in a 91-4 vote. The bill is aimed at combating and reversing the state's high rates of chronic disease, disability, and preventable illness. Key components include the 'Food is Medicine' initiative within Medicaid, new physical education requirements for public schools, and the creation of a dedicated 'Healthy Lifestyles Fund'.

Why it matters

West Virginia consistently ranks among the least healthy states in the nation, with high rates of chronic conditions like obesity and diabetes. The bill seeks to address these public health challenges through a coordinated, multi-agency approach focused on prevention and wellness programs.

The details

The bill reestablishes the Office of Healthy Lifestyles within the Department of Health and mandates a coordinated, multi-agency approach to wellness. It requires the use of 'Food is Medicine' services through Medicaid, such as providing nutrition-related case management, medically tailored meals, and grocery provisions. The bill also sets minimum mandatory physical education requirements in public schools and requires the adoption of the Presidential Fitness Test.

  • The bill passed the West Virginia House of Delegates on February 10, 2026.
  • The bill now heads to the state Senate for consideration.

The players

Evan Worrell

House Health and Human Resources Committee Chairman, the lead sponsor of the bill.

Kayla Young

House Minority Leader Pro Tempore, who raised concerns about the inclusion of the Presidential Fitness Test.

Mike Pushkin

Minority Vice Chairman of the House Health Committee, who voted for the bill but raised concerns about the impact of Medicaid and SNAP cuts.

Henry Dillon

Republican state delegate who voted against the bill, citing concerns about government overreach.

Patrick Morrisey

Governor of West Virginia, who has made reversing the state's poor health statistics a priority.

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What they’re saying

“We all know the numbers … West Virginia leads the nation in chronic disease, disability, preventable illness. And that's not a talking point. We're talking about our neighbors, more specifically our workforce, and definitely our Medicaid budget.”

— Evan Worrell, House Health and Human Resources Committee Chairman (newsandsentinel.com)

“A simple question: Why are we paying more later when we could pay less earlier? The Food is Medicine provision is a perfect example. We already pay for dialysis. We already pay for amputations. We pay for ER visits. What this allows is something cheaper – nutrition counseling, medically tailored meals, grocery prescriptions, tools that reduce utilization of expensive care.”

— Evan Worrell, House Health and Human Resources Committee Chairman (newsandsentinel.com)

“While we all want to encourage West Virginians to make healthy choices, one choice that is beyond their control is when they see their insurance premiums go from around $400 a month to over $2,000 a month. That does relate to (HB 4982) because the money that we're using in this bill comes from the Rural Health Transformation Initiative.”

— Mike Pushkin, Minority Vice Chairman of the House Health Committee (newsandsentinel.com)

What’s next

The bill now heads to the West Virginia State Senate for consideration. If passed by the Senate, it will go to Governor Patrick Morrisey for signing into law.

The takeaway

This legislation represents a comprehensive, multi-pronged approach to addressing West Virginia's longstanding public health challenges. By focusing on prevention, nutrition, and physical activity, the state aims to improve the overall health and well-being of its residents and reduce the burden on the healthcare system.