Source: http://www.legis.state.wv.us/Bill_Status/bills_text.cfm?billdoc=SB597%20SUB1%20ENR.htm&yr=2016&sesstype=RS&i=597
Timestamp: 2017-11-25 02:17:30
Document Index: 31511620

Matched Legal Cases: ['§16', '§16', '§16', '§16', '§16', '§16', '§16']

OTHER VERSIONS - Committee Substitute (1) | SB597 SUB1 ENG2 | Engrossed Version | pdf | Email
By Senators Ferns and Plymale, original sponsors
AN ACT to amend and reenact §16-29B-26 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended; and to amend said code by adding thereto two new sections, designated §16-29B-28 and §16-29B-29, all relating generally to the Health Care Authority; exempting certain actions of the Health Care Authority from state and federal antitrust laws; setting forth intent to immunize cooperative agreements approved and subject to supervision by the Health Care Authority; establishing that a cooperative agreement that is not approved and subject to supervision by the Health Care Authority shall not have immunity; defining terms; setting out legislative findings and purpose; allowing cooperative agreements between certain hospitals and other hospitals or health care providers in the state; setting forth goals of a cooperative agreement; granting authority to the Health Care Authority to review proposed cooperative agreements; establishing a review process for cooperative agreements; requiring notification of application and public hearing to be published on Health Care Authority’s website and the State Register; providing for public comment period; requiring notice of public hearing to be provided to all persons, groups or organizations who have submitted written comments to proposed cooperative agreements and to individuals, groups or organizations designated as affected parties in certificate of need proceeding; requiring copy of application to be provided to the Attorney General; setting forth standards for review of cooperative agreements; requiring the Health Care Authority to consult with the Attorney General regarding assessment of approval of proposed cooperative agreement; requiring approval of Health Care Authority to have written concurrence of the Attorney General; providing that the Health Care Authority evaluate the benefits and disadvantages of the proposed cooperative agreement; providing that the Health Care Authority make a determination whether the benefits likely to result from the proposed cooperative agreement outweigh the disadvantages likely to result from a reduction in competition from the proposed cooperative agreement; providing for approval with conditions; providing that the Health Care Authority’s decision to approve or deny an application is a final order; granting enforcement powers over cooperative agreements to the Health Care Authority; providing for rulemaking; requiring reporting to the Health Care Authority; setting forth reporting requirements; providing for establishment and assessment of fees; providing that these new provisions shall not undermine the validity of an agreement between a hospital and the Attorney General entered into before the effective date of this legislation; requiring submission of certain proposed rate increases to be provided to the Attorney General for review; authorizing the Attorney General to approve, reject or modify certain proposed rate increases; providing that certain proposed rate increases may only be implemented with the approval of the Attorney General; providing the Health Care Authority maintain on file all approved cooperative agreements, including conditions imposed; requiring notification of termination of cooperative agreement be filed with the Health Care Authority; prohibiting billing or charging for health services resulting from or related to a cooperative agreement until approved by the Health Care Authority; providing that submission of application constitutes agreement to certain regulation and supervision of the Heath Care Authority; and providing for severability.
That §16-29B-26 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended and reenacted; and that said code be amended by adding thereto a two new sections, designated §16-29B-28 and §16-29B-29, all to read as follows:
Actions of the board shall be exempt from antitrust action under state and federal antitrust laws. Any actions of hospitals and health care providers under the board’s jurisdiction, when made in compliance with orders, directives, rules, approvals or regulations issued or promulgated by the board, shall likewise be exempt.
It is the intention of the Legislature that this chapter shall also immunize cooperative agreements approved and subject to supervision by the authority and activities conducted pursuant thereto from challenge or scrutiny under both state and federal antitrust law: Provided, That a cooperative agreement that is not approved and subject to supervision by the authority shall not have such immunity.
(2) “Cooperative agreement” means an agreement between a qualified hospital which is a member of an academic medical center and one or more other hospitals or other health care providers. The agreement shall provide for the sharing, allocation, consolidation by merger or other combination of assets, or referral of patients, personnel, instructional programs, support services and facilities or medical, diagnostic, or laboratory facilities or procedures or other services traditionally offered by hospitals or other health care providers.
(5) “Teaching hospital” means a hospital or medical center that provides clinical education and training to future and current health professionals whose main building or campus is located in the same county as the main campus of a medical school operated by a state university.
(6) “Qualified hospital” means a teaching hospital, which meets the requirements of 42 C. F. R. 411.355(e) and which has entered into a cooperative agreement with one or more hospitals or other health care providers but is not a critical access hospital for purposes of this section.
(B) In addition to a certificate of need, the authority may also require that an application for review of a cooperative agreement as provided in this section be submitted and approved prior to the finalization of the cooperative agreement, if the cooperative agreement involves the merger, consolidation or acquisition of a hospital located within a distance of twenty highway miles of the main campus of the qualified hospital, and the authority shall have determined that combination is likely to produce anti-competitive effects due to a reduction of competition. Any such determination shall be communicated to the parties to the cooperative agreement within seven days from approval of a certificate of need for the project.
§16-29B-29. Severability.