WEST virginia legislature

2023 regular session

Introduced

House Bill 2785

By Delegates Walker and Hansen

[Introduced January 18, 2023; Referred to the Committee on Health and Human Resources then Finance]

A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated §5-16-30, relating to reimbursing individuals for healthcare costs at a facility who no longer accepts PEIA.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

ARTICLE 16. WEST VIRGINIA PUBLIC EMPLOYEES INSURANCE ACT.

§5-16-30. PEIA reimbursement to individuals in certain situations.

(a) Legislative findings. – Some hospitals have decided to stop accepting PEIA as a form of insurance, leaving many West Virginians with limited options on how to afford healthcare. Because of this, it is instrumental that those persons who are in a PEIA plan are financially protected from the actions of healthcare providers who will not accept their insurance. The best way to do this is to ensure payment is made to those individuals in the amount of their bills.

(b) Establishment of section. – Effective immediately, individuals enrolled in a PEIA plan who have outstanding medical bills for treatment at a healthcare facility who no longer accepts PEIA, but who previously accepted PEIA, shall have the full amount of their medical bills reimbursed to them. Participants in PEIA must provide a copy of the amount owed to PEIA, and the reimbursement shall occur within seven days upon receipt of the invoice received.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to reimburse individuals for healthcare costs at a facility who no longer accepts PEIA.

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.