The House Health and Human Resources Committee convened at 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 1 in 215-E to consider several Senate bills. The committee had a consideration of five bills, one of which being a bill to expand Medicaid coverage for pregnant women in the state.
Senate Bill 564 would provide that the Department of Health and Human Resources extend Medicaid coverage to pregnant women and their newborns to 185 percent of the federal poverty level effective July 1, 2019 or a soon as possible and provide 60 days’ worth of postpartum care. Additionally, the Children’s Health Insurance Board shall create a benefit plan for comprehensive coverage for pregnant women between 185 percent and 300 percent of the federal poverty level including prenatal care, delivery and 60 days’ postpartum care authorized under the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).
Senate Bill 564 was passed with little discussion, and advanced to the House Finance Committee for a second consideration.
“I want to thank the committee for voting for this bill,” Delegate Barbara Fleischauer, D-Monongalia said. “It’s important that our babies come into this world with as much access to needed resources as possible.”
The committee also had consideration of and passed Senate Bill 574 after little discussion regarding liberty. The bill would authorize a member of the hospital medical staff to order an involuntary hospitalization of a person at the hospital if the physician believes that the individual is addicted or mentally ill and is likely to cause serious harm to themselves or to others if allowed to remain at liberty. The bill only allows hospitals to involuntarily hold individuals for 48 hours without a mental hygiene petition.
Senate Bill 653 was advanced to the House floor with little discussion. This bill would permit podiatric physicians, osteopathic physicians, and physician assistants to become shareholders in a medical corporation along with physicians.
Senate Bill 537 would direct the WV Healthcare Authority to establish a workgroup to conduct research on hospice need standards to be presented to the Legislature by June 30, 2019. This bill was also advanced to the House floor with the recommendation that it pass.
Senate Bill 546 raised a little controversy, but was ultimately advanced to the House floor with the recommendation that it pass. This bill would impose a tax increase of 0.13 percent on specified acute care hospitals to maximize federal funding in order to increase payment for employed practitioners.
