2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 16. Public Health › Article 29B. Health Care Authority › §16-29B-5. West Virginia Health Care Authority; Composition of the Board; Qualifications; Terms; Oath; Expenses of Members; Vacancies; Appointment of Chairman, and Meetings of the Board

(a) The “West Virginia Health Care Authority” is continued as a division of the Department of Health and Human Resources. Any references in this code to the West Virginia Health Care Cost Review Authority means the West Virginia Health Care Authority.
(b) There is created a board of review to serve as the adjudicatory body of the authority and shall conduct all hearings as required in this article, article two-d of this chapter.
(1) The board shall consist of five members, appointed by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate. The board members are not permitted to hold political office in the government of the state either by election or appointment while serving as a member of the board. The board members are not eligible for civil service coverage as provided in section four, article six, chapter twenty-nine of this code. The board members shall be citizens and residents of this state.
(2) No more than three of the board members may be members of the same political party. One board member shall have a background in health care finance or economics, one board member shall have previous employment experience in human services, business administration or substantially related fields, one board member shall have previous experience in the administration of a health care facility, one board member shall have previous experience as a provider of health care services, and one board member shall be a consumer of health services with a demonstrated interest in health care issues.
(3) Each member appointed by the Governor shall serve staggered terms of six years. Any member whose term has expired shall serve until his or her successor has been appointed. Any person appointed to fill a vacancy shall serve only for the unexpired term. Any member shall be eligible for reappointment. In cases of vacancy in the office of member, such vacancy shall be filled by the Governor in the same manner as the original appointment.
(4) Each board member shall, before entering upon the duties of his or her office, take and subscribe to the oath provided by section five, article IV of the Constitution of the State of West Virginia, which oath shall be filed in the office of the Secretary of State.
(5) The Governor shall designate one of the board members to serve as chairman at the Governor’s will and pleasure.
(6) The Governor may remove any board member only for incompetency, neglect of duty, gross immorality, malfeasance in office or violation of the provisions of this article.
(7) No person while in the employ of, or holding any official relation to, any hospital or health care provider subject to the provisions of this article, or who has any pecuniary interest in any hospital or health care provider, may serve as a member of the board. Nor may any board member be a candidate for or hold public office or be a member of any political committee while acting as a board member; nor may any board member or employee of the board receive anything of value, either directly or indirectly, from any third-party payor or health care provider. If any of the board members become a candidate for any public office or for membership on any political committee, the Governor shall remove the board member from the board and shall appoint a new board member to fill the vacancy created. No board member or former board member may accept employment with any hospital or health care provider subject to the jurisdiction of the board in violation of the West Virginia governmental ethics act, chapter six-b of this code: Provided, That the act may not apply to employment accepted after termination of the board.
(8) The concurrent judgment of three of the board members shall be considered the action of the board. A vacancy in the board does not affect the right or duty of the remaining board members to function as a board.
(9) Each member of the board shall serve without compensation, but shall receive expense reimbursement for all reasonable and necessary expenses actually incurred in the performance of the duties of the office, in the same amount paid to members of the Legislature for their interim duties as recommended by the citizens legislative compensation commission and authorized by law. No member may be reimbursed for expenses paid by a third party.