West Virginia Legislative Committee Investigates Financial Problems Facing Rural Hospitals

A West Virginia interim legislative committee met on June 11 to discuss the problems facing the state's rural health care system, hearing testimony from state officials and representatives from the West Virginia Hospital Association, the Charleston Daily Mail reports. While the committee cannot draft legislation before the state Legislature reconvenes in January, state Del. Harold Michael (D) said the committee was "raising the questions that needed to be raised." The meeting focused on the financial pressures facing rural hospitals. West Virginia Health Care Authority Chair Sonia Chambers said that although many facilities are "in serious financial difficulty," smaller hospitals are "doing fine financially." Pat McGill, vice president of legislative policy for the West Virginia Hospital Association, added that increasing health costs, low government funding and the "inadequacy" of insurer and government payments to providers have created financial problems. While McGill supported increasing Medicaid payments to solve the problem, Chambers said higher reimbursement rates might not "solve the problems of some rural hospitals." Lawmakers and hospital representatives also discussed increasing malpractice rates, the state's $187 million Medicaid budget shortfall and hospital construction projects during the hearing (Wallace, Charleston Daily Mail, 6/12).