The bill proposes the termination of the West Virginia Health Care Authority and its certificate of need (CON) program, with the program officially ending on January 1, 2026. Key provisions include the repeal of various sections related to the authority's operations, including the cooperative agreement review process, and the establishment that no health care facility will need to obtain a certificate of need to operate in the state. The bill also outlines the transfer of the authority's remaining powers, assets, records, and employees to the Secretary of the Department of Health, along with the transfer of any remaining funds in the CON Program Fund to the general revenue fund.

Additionally, the bill introduces a summary review process for entities proposing additional behavioral health care services, which will be overseen by the Secretary to ensure compliance with federal Medicaid requirements. The Secretary is also tasked with revising the state mental health plan and may initiate a summary review for necessary but unavailable services, which will not require a certificate of need if supported by appropriate documentation. Overall, the legislation aims to streamline health care service approvals, enhance access to health services, and reduce bureaucratic barriers in the state's health care regulatory framework.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 9-5-19, 16-2D-1, 16-2D-2, 16-2D-4, 16-2D-5, 16-2D-16a, 16-29B-1, 16-29B-3, 16-29B-8, 16-29B-25, 16-29B-26, 16-29B-28, 33-15B-5, 51-11-4, 16-2D-3, 16-2D-6, 16-2D-7, 16-2D-8, 16-2D-9, 16-2D-10, 16-2D-11, 16-2D-12, 16-2D-13, 16-2D-14, 16-2D-15, 16-2D-16, 16-2D-17, 16-2D-18, 16-2D-19, 16-2D-20, 16-29A-20, 16-29B-2, 16-29B-5, 16-29B-5a, 16-29B-12, 16-29B-13, 16-29B-14, 16-29B-15, 16-29B-24, 16-29B-30, 16-29B-31, 16B-13-12, 16B-21-3, 49-2-124