HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION  101

(By Delegates Howell, Blair, Cowles, Espinosa, A. Evans, Folk, Householder, Moore, Overington, Rowan, Upson and Wilson

[Introduced March 5, 2018; Referred to the Committee on Rules]

Requesting the Governor’s Task Force on Public Employee Insurance Agency Stability to review means and methods of including medical facilities in those out-of-state counties that border West Virginia as part of the in-network coverage for PEIA members.

Whereas, In Executive Order No. 6-18, dated February 28, 2018, Governor Jim Justice ordered that the Task Force on Public Employee Insurance Agency Stability be constituted to review, study and assess the current state of the Public Employees Insurance Agency; and

Whereas, The Task Force has been directed to prepare and issue a final report on its findings and recommendations prior to the Legislature’s December 2018 interim meetings; and

Whereas, While that Executive Order set forth specific areas that the Task Force was to review, the order also directed the Task Force to include anything else that is necessary for a thorough evaluation of issues affecting PEIA members; and

Whereas, Many PEIA members live and work in West Virginia counties that border the surrounding states; and

Whereas, In some of those counties, such as the Eastern Panhandle, the nearest medical facility is actually located outside of the state's borders. When a PEIA-covered employee is treated there, the expenses are considered to be an out-of-network expense resulting in a significant monetary penalty to the employee; and

Whereas, As the use of these out-of-network facilities are causing an undue hardship on PEIA members, the Task Force should review the means and methods to include medical facilities, such as hospitals, clinics, and medical providers, in those out-of-state counties bordering West Virginia as part of the In-Network coverage for PEIA members; therefore, be it

Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:

That the Governor’s Task Force on Public Employee Insurance Agency  Stability is hereby requested to review means and methods of including medical facilities in those out-of-state counties that border West Virginia as part of the in-network coverage for PEIA members; and, be it

Further Resolved, That the Governor’s Task Force on Public Employee Insurance Stability is hereby requested to closely examine this issue; and, be it

Further Resolved, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates forward a copy of this resolution to the Governor, who shall be responsible for transmitting a copy to each person who is to serve on the Task Force on Public Employee Insurance Agency Stability.