Healthcare

in committee · West Virginia · House of Delegates Jan 30, 2026

HB 4295: Relating to authorizing the Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy Technology Board of Examiners to promulgate a legislative rule relating to continuing education.

HB 4295 authorizes the Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy Technology Board of Examiners to create and enforce rules about continuing education requirements for medical imaging and radiation therapy technologists in West Virginia. The bill formally approves an existing rule (18 CSR 02) that the Board filed in the State Register on June 3, 2025, making it official under state law. This rule would govern the continuing education hours or content these healthcare professionals must complete to maintain their licenses. The change directly affects licensed technologists in these fields by setting standardized education requirements for license renewal.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAuthorizes continuing education rules for medical imaging/radiation techs, ensuring professional competency and patient safety in healthcare services.90% confidence

Track

passed · West Virginia · Senate Mar 2, 2026

SB 580: Updating practice act for WV Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy Technology Board

SB 580 updates West Virginia's licensing rules for medical imaging and radiation therapy professionals, directly affecting radiologic technologists, MRI technicians, radiation therapists, and nuclear medicine technologists. Key changes include allowing radiation therapists to earn licensure through direct degree programs (without prior radiography training), restricting denial of licensure to only healthcare-related criminal convictions, and aligning their scope of practice with national standards. The bill also eliminates six-month temporary licenses, transfers oversight of radiologist assistants from the Board of Medicine to the Medical Imaging Board, and adds new definitions to clarify regulations. These updates aim to modernize licensing requirements while maintaining public safety standards.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareUpdates licensing rules for healthcare professionals, removing unnecessary barriers (e.g., direct degree licensure) and aligning scope of practice with national standards to improve access to medical imaging/radiation therapy services.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce Medical Licensing

Track

in committee · West Virginia · House of Delegates Jan 14, 2026

HB 4061: Requiring PEIA and other health insurance providers to provide payment parity for certain services

HB 4061 requires West Virginia's Public Employees Insurance Agency (PEIA) and other health insurers to pay mental health and behavioral health providers the same rate as medical/surgical providers for comparable services. This applies to licensed practitioners (like therapists and counselors) covered under the bill’s definitions of "serious mental illness." Insurers must submit claims using standard codes and identifiers, and cannot reduce payments to physicians to comply with this law. The bill directly affects mental health providers and insurers by mandating equal reimbursement rates for services like therapy and counseling, aligning them with physical health care payments.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates equal payment rates for mental health services, improving access and supporting mental health coverage under insurance parity requirements.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance Mental Health

Track

in committee · West Virginia · Senate Jan 28, 2026

SB 638: Creating Forensic Pathology Recruitment Program

SB 638 creates a program to help West Virginia forensic pathologists repay student loans by covering up to 10% of their outstanding balance annually (capped at $300,000 total over 10 years). It directly affects full-time, board-certified forensic pathologists employed by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner who hold a West Virginia license, have an accredited medical degree, and carry eligible student loans in good standing. Applicants must submit annual documentation by July 1 to the Department of Health, which verifies eligibility and disburses funds directly to lenders based on available funding. The program requires annual legislative appropriations and limits payments to 12 consecutive months of employment per year of repayment.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareFunding loan repayment for forensic pathologists (medical professionals) strengthens healthcare workforce retention, directly supporting public health services.90% confidence

Track

in committee · West Virginia · Senate Jan 30, 2026

SB 673: Increasing tax on vapes and e-cigarettes

SB 673 imposes a 3-cent tax per milligram of nicotine on all e-cigarette products sold in West Virginia, replacing a previous tax based on product type. This tax applies to both disposable (closed-system) and refillable (open-system) devices, with fallback rates (40mg per unit for disposables, 6mg/mL for refillables) if labeling is unclear. All revenue generated will be directed to the Public Employees Insurance Agency (PEIA) to reduce or stabilize state employees' health insurance premiums, without replacing existing employer contributions. The bill directly affects e-cigarette distributors and manufacturers in the state, effective July 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesImposes vape tax revenue directed to PEIA for state employee health insurance, funding a public service under budget/taxes.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareTax revenue funds PEIA to stabilize state employees' health insurance premiums, directly supporting healthcare affordability and funding.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentDirectly funds state employees' health insurance premiums via PEIA, supporting worker benefits as a core labor & employment policy.80% confidence

Sub-Topics Business Taxes Sales Tax Insurance

Track

in committee · West Virginia · Senate Jan 21, 2026

SB 571: Relating to WV Rural Health Transformation Program

SB 571 modifies West Virginia law to implement the federal Rural Health Transformation Program. It exempts the program from standard state purchasing rules (§5A-3-3d) to ensure timely use of federal funds. The bill also requires public schools to adopt the Presidential Fitness Test for students in grades 4-8 and high school (§18-2-7a), and mandates that medical and osteopathic boards require continuing education in nutrition for license renewal (§30-3-12, §30-14-10). These provisions directly affect rural health programs, public schools, and licensed healthcare professionals.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates public schools to adopt Presidential Fitness Test for grades 4-8 and high school, directly enhancing student program requirements.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareModifies law to implement federal rural health program (funding access) and mandates nutrition CE for medical licenses (enhancing provider standards), directly advancing healthcare services.92% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education Student Health

Track

passed · West Virginia · Senate Feb 16, 2026

SB 173: Prohibiting abortifacients

This bill prohibits the distribution or prescription of "abortifacients" (drugs intended to cause abortion) within West Virginia. It directly affects licensed medical professionals (like doctors and pharmacists) and anyone distributing such drugs, with violations carrying felony penalties (3-10 years imprisonment) for non-professionals and potential license revocation for medical providers. Key provisions include banning the mailing, sale, or dissemination of abortifacients without a valid prescription, requiring medical professionals to attest to compliance, and creating a civil lawsuit option for affected parties. The law includes exceptions for medical emergencies - defined as situations where an abortion is necessary to prevent serious risk of death or life-threatening impairment to the patient.

Topics ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcareProhibits access to abortion-related medical services, restricting patient healthcare options and provider practices under West Virginia law.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Women's Health

Track

vetoed · West Virginia · Senate Apr 1, 2026

SB 649: Requiring coverage of home blood pressure monitoring devices for certain Medicaid recipients

SB 649 requires West Virginia Medicaid to cover home blood pressure monitoring devices for specific enrollees: pregnant individuals or those within 12 months postpartum who have been diagnosed with uncontrolled hypertension. The bill mandates that covered devices must be validated by the U.S. Blood Pressure Validated Listing and includes coverage for an extra blood pressure cuff. Medicaid providers must also receive reimbursement for related services, such as patient training, interpreting readings, and delivering co-interventions. This policy directly affects Medicaid recipients with hypertension during pregnancy or postpartum, expanding access to essential monitoring tools.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates Medicaid coverage for blood pressure devices, expanding access to hypertension management for vulnerable populations, directly advancing healthcare access and coverage.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicaid

Track

in committee · West Virginia · House of Delegates Jan 28, 2026

HB 4873: To remove the 2 year timeframe for medical malpractice suits to be filed only for individuals who were minors when they had their procedures performed

HB 4873 changes the deadline for minors to file medical malpractice lawsuits. It removes the current rule requiring minors to file before their 12th birthday and replaces it with a new deadline: minors can file within five years after turning 18. This affects individuals who were under 18 at the time of their medical procedure and suffered injury. The bill specifically modifies Section (c) of West Virginia’s medical malpractice statute to extend the filing window for minors.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExtends statute of limitations for minors to file medical malpractice claims, protecting patient rights and enabling access to legal recourse for healthcare injuries95% confidence

Track

signed · West Virginia · House of Delegates Jun 29, 2026

HB 4869: Establish narrow, clearly bounded guaranteed-issue rights for Medicare Supplement policies in West Virginia.

HB 4869 creates two guaranteed periods for West Virginia seniors to purchase Medicare Supplement (Medigap) policies without medical underwriting or pre-existing condition exclusions. It provides a 60-day window annually around each individual’s birthday for current policyholders to switch to a policy with the same or fewer benefits, and a 63-day window starting the day after Medicaid eligibility ends for those turning 65 or losing Medicaid. Insurers must offer coverage during these periods but are not required to provide new policies or alter existing benefit structures. The bill also mandates annual reports on Medigap premium trends for legislative review but does not change Medicare Advantage plans or require insurers to offer specific rates.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareCreates guaranteed-issue periods for Medicare Supplement coverage, removing medical underwriting barriers and expanding access for seniors without pre-existing condition exclusions.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance Medicaid Medicare Tags Seniors