The House Committee on Health and Human Resources convened at 2 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 17 in 215-E to consider three pieces of legislation.
House Bill 2405 was the first bill on the agenda, which passed the House of Delegates unanimously last year. This bill would impose a tax on health management organizations in order to maximize Medicaid dollars within the state.
House Bill 2405 was approved unanimously within the committee, and advanced to the House Floor with the recommendation that it pass but first go to the House Finance Committee for second reference.
The committee then revisited a bill that had been previously laid over, House Bill 2347. This bill would require the Secretary of the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) to modernize or rebuild two West Virginia state hospitals, Jackie Withrow and Hopemont hospitals. These hospitals, which are primarily used to long term care for elderly and substance abuse patients, are both nearly a century old.
Amendments were discussed at length amongst the committee.
Delegate Andrew Robinson (D-Kanawha), proposed an amendment to the bill that would require the Secretary of the West Virginia DHHR to modernize or rebuild the two state hospitals, and then if the state were to choose to contract those facilities out, an institution of higher education within the state (likely Marshall or West Virginia University) would have the right of first refusal. Robinson argued that this amendment was to ensure that innovative treatment for substance abuse victims and long term patients would still be progressed even if the secretary chose to sell the facilities.
Delegate Amy Summers (R-Taylor) stood in opposition to the amendment, arguing that giving institutions of higher education the right of first refusal added unnecessary bureaucracy to the process.
Robinson’s amendment to the bill failed.
Delegate Barbara Fleischauer (D-Monongalia) also proposed an amendment to House Bill 2347, for the sake of clarity.
The amendment would maintain the amount of beds currently present at Jackie Withrow and Hopemont hospitals (198 and 89 beds respectively) instead of adding to that count. It also clarifies that these beds are to be used for long term care patients.
Fleischauer’s amendment passed through the committee unanimously. As amended, the bill advanced to the House Floor with the recommendation that it should pass, but first go to the House Finance Committee for second reference.
Finally, House Bill 2324 was considered by the committee. This bill, if passed, would allow for the state acupuncture board to issue certificates to those who wish to become certified in the practice of acudetox therapy. This form of acupuncture, which releases toxins from the ear, would be available for health professionals other than those who practice acupuncture to become certified. It is argued to be beneficial to individuals who are experiencing the physical effects of drug withdrawal, as well as patients seeking therapeutic relief.
House Bill 2324 was advanced to the House Floor with the recommendation that it do pass, but it first gets a second reference from the House Committee on Government Organization.
