Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. §1. That the Department of Medical Assistance Services (the Department) shall convene a work group to design a community health worker services benefit for Medicaid-enrolled and CHIP-enrolled beneficiaries. The work group shall include representatives from the Institute for Public Health Innovation, the Virginia Community Health Workers Association, Virginia Health Catalyst, the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association, the Department of Health, and other organizations at the Department's discretion. The work group shall consider the reimbursement methodology for the benefit, the services to be included in the benefit, the educational and training requirements community health workers must possess to furnish the benefit, and other considerations at the Department's discretion. The work group shall complete its work and submit a report to the Chairs of the House Committees on Appropriations and Health and Human Services and the Senate Committees on Finance and Appropriations and Education and Health by December 1, 2024. The report shall include the estimated cost of the benefit and any additional legislative authority required to implement the benefit. Following the completion of the work group, if sufficient authority and funding are provided by the General Assembly, the Department shall initiate the federal state plan amendment process to seek federal approval for a Medicaid community health worker services benefit. Upon approval of the state plan amendment by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Department shall implement this change prior to completion of any regulatory process.