This bill aims to amend the Code of West Virginia by introducing a new article focused on the oversight of hospital facility fees. It defines key terms such as "facility fee," "hospital," and "health care provider," and establishes a prohibition against charging facility fees, with specific exceptions for services provided on a hospital's campus, in licensed hospital emergency departments, or at licensed freestanding emergency facilities. Additionally, the bill mandates that health care providers cannot charge facility fees for outpatient evaluation and management services or other outpatient services identified by the West Virginia Insurance Commission.

The legislation also requires hospitals and health systems to submit annual reports to the Commission detailing facility fees charged, including information on patient visits, revenue generated, and specific procedures that contribute to facility fee income. The Commission is granted the authority to create rules for implementing these provisions, and health care providers found in violation may face administrative penalties of up to $1,000 per occurrence. Furthermore, the Commission is empowered to audit health care providers to ensure compliance with the new regulations.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 33-64-1, 33-64-2, 33-64-3, 33-64-4, 33-64-5