The proposed bill introduces the "Michael Brandon Cochran Act," which aims to enhance medical testing protocols for patients in intensive care units (ICUs) in West Virginia. It establishes definitions for key terms such as "hospital," "C-peptide test," "hypoglycemia," and "ICU." The bill mandates that hospitals administer a C-peptide test to any ICU patient who is unconscious or has a blood glucose level of 49 mg/dl or lower, regardless of their diabetes status. Additionally, if a patient dies after exhibiting symptoms of potential brain damage, a post-mortem C-peptide test is required.

To enforce compliance, the bill imposes a monetary penalty of $10,000 for each violation of the testing requirement, which will be administered by the Office of Health Facility Licensure and Certification. Furthermore, the bill establishes the Michael Brandon Cochran Grant Program, which will provide funding to hospitals for the costs associated with administering the required tests and training staff on hypoglycemia. A special revenue fund, the Michael Brandon Cochran Fund, will be created to support this grant program, ensuring that any unspent funds at the end of the fiscal year remain available for these purposes.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 16-4G-1, 16-4G-2, 16-4G-3, 16-4G-4, 16-4G-5