| Nearly 118,000 West Virginia families could automatically qualify for Medicaid coverage.
The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources has mailed auto-enrollment letters this week to recipients of the state's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
At the same time, the Republican led US House of Representatives has moved to cut "food stamps," now called SNAP, by $4 billion over the next ten years, affecting six million people nationwide.
Eighty-five percent of those affected would be working people, seniors, disabled and children.
Currently 47.7 million people receive the food supplement.
See House votes to cut $4B a year from food stamps, By Mary Clare Jalonick, The Associated Press
With the extended WV Medicaid insurance benefit, DHHR Secretary Karen Bowling says the letter asks people if they want to automatically enroll.
Responses are due at local DHHR offices by Sept. 27.
Applicants will be notified of eligibility in late December.
| 
