Bill Text: WV HB2812 | 2018 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Office of Rural Health Policy
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 3-1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-01-10 - To House Government Organization [HB2812 Detail]
Download: West_Virginia-2018-HB2812-Introduced.html
WEST virginia
legislature
2017 regular session
By
[
to the Committee on Government Organization then Finance.
A BILL to amend the Code
of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new article, designated
§16-52-1, §16-52-2 and §16-52-3, all relating to the creation of the Office of
Rural Health within the Center for Rural Health Development, Inc.; creating a
steering committee; and establishing structure and responsibilities.
Be it enacted by the
Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Code of West
Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended by adding thereto a new article,
designated §16-52-1, §16-52-2 and §16-52-3, all to read as follows:
ARTICLE 52. OFFICE OF
RURAL HEALTH POLICY.
§16-52-1. Legislative
findings.
The Legislature finds:
(1) The majority of West
Virginia citizens live in rural West Virginia;
(2) A viable rural health
care delivery system is an integral part of the economic infrastructure, like
water, sewer, roads, schools and broadband, needed in rural communities to
attract and retain businesses and jobs;
(3) A healthy workforce
is also needed to attract jobs and business development throughout West
Virginia;
(4) Rural West Virginia
typically experiences higher rates of poverty, an older population, a higher
number of people who do not complete high school, and a more challenged health
care system;
(5) These findings
indicate that rural West Virginia has some unique factors that are important to
policymakers as they make decisions that impact health and health care in rural
West Virginia; and
(6) The health and
economic well-being of West Virginia and its citizens requires the development
of a comprehensive rural health plan focused on the quality of care, economic
viability of health care delivery systems, access to health and dental care
services, and workforce development with the goal of strengthening rural health
systems and improving the health of the citizens of West Virginia.
§16-52-2.
Establishment of the Office of Rural Health Policy.
(a) The Office of Rural
Health Policy is created and shall be managed and operated in the private
sector within the Center for Rural Health Development, Inc., a 501(c)(3)
organization whose primary purpose is to strengthen West Virginia’s rural
health care delivery systems and improve the health of our citizens.
(1) The Center for Rural
Health Development, Inc. is able to annually provide $3.00 in matching funds
using private funds to every $1.00 of federal funds provided through the
Federal Office of Rural Health Policy’s funding to establish a state office of
rural health policy in each state. The
funds are to be used to carry out the goals of the Office of Rural Health
Policy as stated in this article. The $3.00 in matching funds is not required
of other federal funding managed by the Office of Rural Health Policy.
(b) The Office of Rural
Health Policy shall:
(1) Provide advice on
rural health issues to the Department of Health and Human Resources, the
Governor, the Legislature and other state government agencies;
(2) Administer grant
programs designed to build health care capacity, improve access to care, promote
the use of tele-health technologies, develop rural health leaders, and improve
health of West Virginians; including, but not limited to, the Medicare Rural
Hospital Flexibility Grant, Small Rural Hospital Improvement Program Grant and
other grants offered through the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy or other
federal agencies;
(3) Coordinate provider
and allied health recruitment and retention efforts in West Virginia;
(4) Partner with
statewide quality improvement initiatives;
(5) Engage stakeholders,
especially the Department of Health and Human Resources, to develop and
implement the rural health plan to provide policymakers, funders and
stakeholder organizations with a common vision and steps to improve rural
health in West Virginia;
(6) Coordinate and
provide technical assistance to strengthen the rural health infrastructure in
West Virginia;
(7) Engage stakeholders,
including those in other sectors, to develop and implement evidence-based
strategies to build healthy communities throughout rural communities in West
Virginia;
(8) Establish
relationships with federal policymakers and agencies, and rural health
organizations and agencies in the United States to serve as an advocate for
West Virginia;
(9) Employ staff and
develop policies as necessary to perform the duties of the Office of Rural
Health Policy; and
(10) Prepare a budget
using available resources from the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy, funds
from other available resources and any other public and private sources to
carry out these stated duties.
§16-52-3. Creation of
a steering committee.
(a) The board of the
Center for Rural Health Development, Inc., designated as the Office of Rural
Health Policy, shall establish a steering committee responsible for advising
the development of the rural health plan and implementation of all activities
established in this article.
(b) The members of the
steering committee shall reflect balanced geographical representation and
diverse backgrounds.
(c) The steering
committee shall consist of between nine and fifteen voting members, including:
(1) One representative
chosen by the West Virginia Rural Health Association;
(2) One representative
chosen by the West Virginia Hospital Association;
(3) One representative
chosen by each of West Virginia’s two United States Senators;
(4) One representative
of the Department of Health and Human Resources chosen by the secretary;
(5) One representative
chosen by the board of the Center for Rural Health Development, Inc.; and
(6) The remaining
members selected by the above designated steering committee members to bring
expertise, skills and experience to the steering committee’s deliberations.
(d) All steering
committee members serve for three-year terms, except that a member appointed to
fill a vacancy occurring prior to the expiration of the term for which a
predecessor was appointed serves the remainder of the unexpired term. A member may not serve more than two
consecutive three-year terms.
(e) Any vacancy
occurring in the membership of the steering committee shall be filled in the
same manner as the initial membership provided in subsection (c) of this
section. A vacancy does not affect the ability of the remaining members to
carry out the duties of the steering committee.
(f) The Office of Rural
Health Policy may reimburse members of the steering committee for reasonable
and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties, including
attending steering committee meetings.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is
to establish the Office of Rural Health Policy.
Strike-throughs indicate language
that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring
indicates new language that would be added.