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§16-2K-1. Legislative findings and statement of purpose.
(a) The United States Department of Health and Human Services

has established a model of managed care service delivery that encourages innovative integrated health care delivery systems to serve frail and disabled elders with effective primary, preventive, restorative, supportive and palliative care. The program, as authorized in 42 CFR §460, §462, §466, §473 and §476, provides for the establishment of local programs to reorganize and reintegrate local health care delivery systems.

(b) The program for all-inclusive care for the elderly or "PACE" is a capitated program that is operated in accordance with federal law by a public, private, nonprofit or proprietary entity to provide comprehensive health and social services to disabled and frail elderly persons, certified by the state as nursing home eligible to maximize the autonomy and continued independence of these elderly persons.

(c) The Legislature finds that the "PACE" programs will enhance the quality of life, function and health of elderly persons.

(d) In order to promote the expansion of medical, social and long-term care services for the elderly, it is the intent of the Legislature to eliminate legal, statutory and regulatory barriers to the establishment of "PACE" programs by exempting health providers participating in these programs from regulation as insurers.

§16-2K-2. "PACE" program operation; exemption from regulation as an insurer; annual reports to the Legislature.
(a) A "PACE" program may operate in this state only in accordance with a contract with the United States Department of Health and Human Services, which is prepared in consultation with and approved by the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources.

(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of chapter thirty-three of this code to the contrary, participation by providers in a "PACE" program created and authorized pursuant to this article is not considered as providing insurance or as offering insurance services, and "PACE" providers and services are specifically excluded from the definitions of "insurer" and "insurance" as defined in article one, chapter thirty-three of this code, and from the definition of "health maintenance organization" as defined in article twenty-five-a of this code. Participating "PACE" providers are not unauthorized insurers pursuant to section four, article forty-four of chapter thirty-three of this code. These "PACE" programs are not subject to regulation by the Insurance Commissioner except to the extent set forth in this article.

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