CHARLESTON, W.Va. — State lawmakers are considering options for the operation of the seven state-run health care facilities.
On MetroNews “Talkline,” House Speaker Roger Hanshaw, R, Clay, 62, and Senator-elect Joey Garcia, D, Marion, 13, shared their thoughts on where the process might end up. The state is working with Lument Securities LLC, an advisor in health care company acquisitions, to develop a long-term strategy for the operations of the seven facilities operated by the state.
“I think that we’re likely to always be in a place where the state of West Virginia has responsibility for that,” Hanshaw said. “Now, how we staff it and how we manage it is still up for discussion.”
Garcia said the audit that has raised recent concerns was completed prior to the split of the Department of Health and Human Resources into three entities: the West Virginia Department of Health, the West Virginia Department of Human Services, and the West Virginia Department of Health Facilities.
“My understanding is from visiting the John Manchin Snr. Health Care Center and others is that since we’ve had a Department of Facilities this last year, a number of these things have improved,” Garcia said. “They’ve actually looked at how to improve pay and how to improve administration.”
Hanshaw said the long-term care facilities are outdated, expensive to operate, and could likely be operated at a savings by a private entity. Some of the facilities that serve residents with more chronic mental issues could see more creative solutions to ensure the quality care is delivered.
“There’s much less of an opportunity for a private sector acquisition of our psychiatric facilities, but a private sector operator of state-owned facilities? Yes, that business model exists in this economy, and there may be some wisdom in pursuing that approach,” Hanshaw said.
Garcia isn’t as sure there would be a private entity that would take on the operation of psychiatric facilities in Weston, Huntington, and Welch. Challenges in psychiatric care include the high cost of specialized workers, generally low reimbursement rates from government programs, and inconsistent insurance coverage.
“A couple of years ago we had an in-patient facility at the Fairmont Medical Center that related to behavioral health, and it’s not running anymore,” Garcia said. “And when I asked why, it’s because it didn’t make sense financially.”
Because of those economic factors, Garcia is confident the state government will always play a role in the care for some of the chronic patients. Generally, Garcia favors maintaining all seven facilities under state control rather than taking a chance on the quality of care offered in a for-profit market.
“If someone isn’t allowed in—dementia patients, difficult patients, and patients that make it harder to create a black bottom line—and if that’s the case, we need to fill that gap,” Garcia said.