§16-29B-1. Legislative findings; purpose.
The Legislature hereby finds and declares that the health and welfare of the citizens of this state is being threatened by unreasonable increases in the cost of health care services, a fragmented system of health care, lack of integration and coordination of health care services, unequal access to primary and preventative care, lack of a comprehensive and coordinated health information system to gather and disseminate data to promote the availability of cost-effective, high-quality services and to permit effective health planning and analysis of utilization, clinical outcomes and cost and risk factors. In order to alleviate these threats: (1) Information on health care costs must be gathered; (2) a system of cost control must be developed; and (3) an entity of state government must be given authority to ensure the containment of health care costs, to gather and disseminate health care information; to analyze and report on changes in the health care delivery system as a result of evolving market forces, including the implementation of managed care; and to assure that the state health plan, certificate of need program, rate regulation program and information systems serve to promote cost containment, access to care, quality of services and prevention. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to protect the health and well-being of the citizens of this state by guarding against unreasonable loss of economic resources as well as to ensure the continuation of appropriate access to cost-effective, high-quality health careservices.

Note: WV Code updated with legislation passed through the 2012 1st Special Session