Post by Logan on Feb 6, 2016 22:35:01 GMT -6
The union that represents workers at West Virginia's state-run hospitals called Friday for a public hearing on a bill introduced in the Legislature earlier this week that would privatize three state-run nursing homes.
House Bill 4352, introduced Tuesday, would allow the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources to sell Lakin Hospital, in Mason County, Jackie Withrow Hospital, in Beckley, and Hopemont Hospital, in Preston County. If passed, it directs the DHHR to develop a plan to unload the three hospitals by Nov. 30 — and to sell each and divest itself of the contracts associated with them by July 1, 2017.
“If the proposed legislation is passed by the Legislature and signed by the governor, the DHHR will comply with a full assessment or study of these facilities,” Victoria Jones, commissioner for the Bureau for Behavioral Health and Health Facilities, said in a statement. “We appreciate the hard work and dedication of our employees as they provide quality healthcare to our patients.”
Jones' statement did not include an explanation of what might have prompted the bill, which comes two years after an unsuccessful attempt by the DHHR to privatize two psychiatric hospitals. A plan to privatize William R. Sharpe Hospital, in Weston, and Mildred Mitchell Bateman Hospital, in Huntington, was rejected by Kanawha Circuit Court Judge Duke Bloom, whose decision was upheld by the West Virginia Supreme Court.
See more at: www.wvgazettemail.com/news/20160205/wv-bill-would-allow-sale-of-state-run-hospitals
House Bill 4352, introduced Tuesday, would allow the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources to sell Lakin Hospital, in Mason County, Jackie Withrow Hospital, in Beckley, and Hopemont Hospital, in Preston County. If passed, it directs the DHHR to develop a plan to unload the three hospitals by Nov. 30 — and to sell each and divest itself of the contracts associated with them by July 1, 2017.
“If the proposed legislation is passed by the Legislature and signed by the governor, the DHHR will comply with a full assessment or study of these facilities,” Victoria Jones, commissioner for the Bureau for Behavioral Health and Health Facilities, said in a statement. “We appreciate the hard work and dedication of our employees as they provide quality healthcare to our patients.”
Jones' statement did not include an explanation of what might have prompted the bill, which comes two years after an unsuccessful attempt by the DHHR to privatize two psychiatric hospitals. A plan to privatize William R. Sharpe Hospital, in Weston, and Mildred Mitchell Bateman Hospital, in Huntington, was rejected by Kanawha Circuit Court Judge Duke Bloom, whose decision was upheld by the West Virginia Supreme Court.
See more at: www.wvgazettemail.com/news/20160205/wv-bill-would-allow-sale-of-state-run-hospitals