§16-29B-19a Additional legislative directives; studies, findings and recommendations. - West Virginia Statutes

§16-29B-19a. Additional legislative directives; studies, findings and recommendations.

(a) The Legislature finds and declares that changing market forces require periodic changes in the regulatory structure for health care providers and hereby directs the board to study the following:

(1) The certificate of need program, including the effect of any changes on managed care and access for uninsured and rural consumers; determining which services or capital expenditures should be exempt and why; and the status of similar programs in other states;

(2) The hospital rate-setting methodology, including the need for hospital rate-setting and the development of alternatives to the cost-based reimbursement methodology;

(3) Managed care markets, including the need for regulatory programs in managed care markets; and

(4) Barriers or obstacles, if any, presented by the certificate of need program or standards in the state health plan to health care providers' need to reduce excess capacity, restructure services and integrate the delivery of services.

(b) The board may form task forces to assist it in addressing these issues and it shall prepare a report on its findings and recommendations, which is to be filed with the governor, the president of the Senate and the speaker of the House of Delegates on or before the first day of October, one thousand nine hundredninety-eight, identifying each problem and recommendation with specificity and the effect of each recommendation on cost, access and quality of care. The task forces, if formed, shall be composed of representatives of consumers, businesses, providers, payors and state agencies.

(c) The board shall report quarterly to the legislative oversight commission on health and human resources accountability regarding the appointment, direction and progress of the studies.