Senate Bill No. 24
(By Senators Foster, Stollings and Hunter)
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[Introduced January 9, 2008; referred to the Committee on the
Judiciary; and then to the Committee on Finance.]
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A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by
adding thereto a new section, designated §5-16-28, relating to
providing copies of advanced directives in the form of living
wills, medical powers of attorney and combined medical powers
of attorney and living wills to public employees and retirees
covered by the Public Employees Insurance Agency.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended
by adding thereto a new section, designated §5-16-28, to read as
follows:
ARTICLE 16. WEST VIRGINIA PUBLIC EMPLOYEES INSURANCE ACT.
§5-16-28. Advanced directives.
Prior to the first day of May, two thousand eight, and every
year after that, the Public Employees Insurance Agency shall
distribute to all employees and retirees covered by the Public
Employees Insurance Agency a copy of advanced directives of living
wills and medical powers of attorney and combined medical powers of attorney and living wills as provided in section four, article
thirty, chapter sixteen of this code. The finance board may reduce
copayments, coinsurance or monthly premiums for employees or
retirees who complete an advanced directive.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to provide a copy of
advanced directives in the form of living wills, medical powers of
attorney and combined medical powers of attorney and living wills
to public employees and retirees covered by the PEIA.
This section is new; therefore, strike-throughs and
underscoring have been omitted.