HCR 21 Text

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.

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