The past two years have been unlike anything I have experienced in my career at the Virginia Medicaid agency. Thanks to the courage of our Governor and state lawmakers, we were able to expand eligibility for health coverage in 2019 and welcome more than 470,000 new Virginia adults into our program. This historic achievement coincided with our agency’s 50th anniversary, and I cannot imagine a better birthday gift.

Medicaid expansion was a heavy lift, but our staff embraced the challenge with an unprecedented level of teamwork, a dedication to our members, and the sparkle that makes DMAS so special. Those heady, celebratory days were followed abruptly by the difficult and disconcerting emergence of the COVID-19 health pandemic.

Our entire staff transitioned overnight to telework, recognizing that there could be no hesitation in the face of tremendous need across the Commonwealth. Our workload quadrupled as we implemented a host of policies to ensure that our members had access to care when they needed it most. We ramped up enrollment efforts as thousands of Virginians who had lost their jobs and insurance turned to us for coverage for themselves and their families. And we worked closely with providers to help them weather the uncertainties they faced as they looked for new ways to keep their employees and patients healthy and safe.

I look back at the past two years and I am incredibly proud of our DMAS family and their amazing resilience and passion. I can’t wait to see what we will accomplish together in the next two years and beyond.

Sincerely,

/s/ Karen Kimsey
Director
Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services