Tier One:

WVAHC will concentrate its legislative efforts on passage of WVAHC’s Blueprint for Health Care Reform package focuses on meaningful cost containment, quality and affordable health care for all West Virginians, and significant insurance reform. 

If comprehensive health care reform is not possible during the 2008 legislative session, WVAHC will concentrate its efforts for insuring all West Virginia children and establishing a public/private partnership to establish a comprehensive chronic care management initiative.

Tier Two:

1. Support adequate funding for the state Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) to expand coverage to children in households between 220 percent and 300 percent of the federal poverty level by January 1, 2008, assuming that Congress reauthorizes SCHIP in 2007.

2. Support legislation requiring drug retailers to report what they spend to promote particular prescription drugs to physicians and other prescribers. Any prescriber who receives more than $1,000 in retailing expenses should be identified.

3. Support legislation requiring employers, other than small employers, to provide employees with seven (7) paid sick leave days annually.

4. Support adequate state funding for a public-private pilot project to implement electronic prescribing in West Virginia.

5. Support legislation requiring that providers charge uninsured individuals the lowest fee that they have contracted with commercial insurance companies for a service.

6. Support legislation prohibiting pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) employed by state agencies from reporting prescribing patterns to drug manufacturers.

7. Support measures that will promote breastfeeding.

8. Support the requirement of legislative notification and public input prior to Medicaid submitting a state Plan Amendment to the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

9. Support a state resolution in favor of a national single payer system.

10. Support federal initiatives that will allow the states to be the incubators of health care reform measures.

11. Support the creation of an independent insurance consumer advocate position.

12. Support those recommendations of the Comprehensive Behavioral Health Planning Commission that meet the goals of WVAHC.