Bill > HB3308

This bill aims to terminate the West Virginia Health Care Authority and its certificate of need (CON) program, effectively eliminating the requirement for healthcare facilities to obtain approval before developing or expanding health services. Specifically, the bill provides that on January 1, 2026, no health care facility will be required to obtain a certificate of need, and the authority itself will be dissolved. The Secretary of the Department of Health will be responsible for transferring the authority's records, assets, and equipment to the department, and may hire former authority employees to fill vacant positions. The bill also requires the secretary to propose a repeal of rules previously promulgated by the authority and to transfer any remaining funds in the Certificate of Need Program Fund to the General Revenue Fund. Additionally, the bill removes numerous existing provisions related to the certificate of need review process, including definitions, review standards, and enforcement mechanisms. This legislation represents a significant change in how healthcare services are regulated in West Virginia, moving away from a centralized approval process to a more open market approach for healthcare facility development and expansion.

Health and Social Services

http://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Status/Bills_history.cfm?input=3308&year=2025&sessiontype=RS&btype=bill