Introduced Version
House Concurrent Resolution 21 History
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HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 21
(By Delegate Perdue, Fleischauer, Williams, Perry, Staggers,
Marshall, Lawrence, Kinsey, Barrett, Barker, Ashley and Miller)
Requesting the Joint Committee on Government and Finance to study
the rural health workforce in West Virginia.
W
HEREAS
, West Virginians from rural areas across the state rely
on their local rural healthcare system including hospitals,
community health centers, free clinics, and private primary care
providers to provide critical healthcare services; and
W
HEREAS
, West Virginia's rural healthcare system struggles to
recruit and retain an adequate workforce to meet the healthcare
needs of its population; and
W
HEREAS
, In 2013, in West Virginia the average age for
physicians and dentists is 50 and for nurse practitioners is 46;
and
W
HEREAS
, The federal government currently classifies 16 rural
West Virginia counties in whole or in part as primary care Health
Professional Shortage Areas; and
W
HEREAS
, Of an estimated 245,000 uninsured West Virginians, it
is projected approximately 170,000 will likely become newly insured
over the next three years under the Patient Protection and
Affordable Care Act, and many of these citizens live in rural
areas; and
W
HEREAS
, The West Virginia Rural Health Association released
its 2013 report, "Health Care in West Virginia: A Workforce Demand
Analysis", providing data and maps describing West Virginia's
healthcare workforce, and has developed a West Virginia Health Data
Portal for electronic access to current healthcare workforce data;
and
W
HEREAS
, Building a strong healthcare system across West
Virginia will not only improve community health and quality of
life, but will also foster economic development, particularly in
rural communities; therefore, be it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Joint Committee on Government and Finance is hereby
requested to study West Virginia's rural health workforce and
potential strategies for improving rural West Virginians' access to
health care
;
and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Joint Committee on Government and
Finance report to the regular session of the Legislature, 2015, on
its findings, conclusions and recommendations together with drafts
of any legislation necessary to effectuate its recommendations;
and, be it
Further Resolved, That the expenses necessary to conduct this
study, to prepare a report and to draft necessary legislation be
paid from legislative appropriations to the Joint Committee on
Government and Finance.