The special fund known as the State of West Virginia public assistance medical services fund established by chapter one hundred forty-three, acts of the Legislature, regular session, one thousand nine hundred fifty-three, as amended by chapter two, acts of the Legislature, first extraordinary session, one thousand nine hundred sixty, and chapter forty-nine, acts of the Legislature, regular session, one thousand nine hundred sixty-six, shall be continued in accordance with the provisions of this section so long as the same may be required by federal laws, rules and regulations applicable to federal-state assistance and thereafter so long as the commissioner shall deem such fund to be otherwise necessary or desirable, and henceforth such special fund shall be known as the department of human services medical services fund, hereinafter referred to as the fund.
The fund shall consist of payments made into the fund out of state appropriations for medical services to recipients of specified classes of welfare assistance and such federal grants-in-aid as are made available for specified classes of welfare assistance. Any balance in the fund at the end of any fiscal year shall remain in the fund and shall not expire or revert. Payments shall be made out of the fund upon requisition of the commissioner by means of a warrant signed by the Auditor and treasurer.
Recipients of those classes of welfare assistance as are specified by the department, consistent with applicable federal laws, rules and regulations, shall be entitled to have costs of necessary medical services paid out of the fund, in the manner and amounts, to the extent, and for the period determined from time to time to be feasible by the commissioner pursuant to rules, regulations and standards established by him. Such rules, regulations and standards shall comply with requirements of applicable federal laws, rules and regulations and shall be established on the basis of money available for the purpose, the number of recipients, the experience with respect to the incidence of illness, disease, accidents, and other causes among such recipients causing them to require medical services and the costs thereof, the amounts which recipients require otherwise in order to maintain a subsistence compatible with decency and health, and any other factor considered relevant and proper by the commissioner: Provided, That such rules and regulations respecting qualifications shall permit the expenditure of state funds to pay for care rendered in any birthing center licensed under the provisions of article two-e, chapter sixteen of this code, by a licensed nurse midwife or midwife as this occupation is defined in section one, article fifteen, chapter thirty of this code, and which care is within the scope of duties for such licensed nurse midwife or midwife as permitted by the provisions of section seven, article fifteen of said chapter thirty.