Healthcare (Medical Licensing)

HB 4335 requires West Virginia's Medicaid program to process provider enrollment applications within 5 business days of receipt and mandates managed care organizations to complete provider credentialing within 60 days. The bill establishes a unified electronic platform for all Medicaid provider applications, renewals, and documentation, eliminating paper submissions starting July 1, 2026. It also sets penalties for managed care organizations that miss deadlines, including monetary sanctions or "credentialing-by-default" by the Department of Human Services. This bill directly affects Medicaid providers (like doctors and clinics), managed care organizations, and the Department of Human Services.

Senate Bill 42 (SB 42) allows licensed pharmacists in West Virginia to sell ivermectin for human use without a prescription. It requires pharmacists to provide the FDA-approved patient information sheet at the time of sale and eliminates the need for consultation. The bill protects pharmacists from liability in civil, criminal, or disciplinary actions if they follow the law in good faith, and also shields healthcare providers from disciplinary action for recommending ivermectin within their scope of practice. This directly affects pharmacists (who gain new dispensing authority) and patients (who can purchase ivermectin without a prescription). The law does not change ivermectin's FDA-approved uses or medical guidelines.

HB 4306 authorizes the West Virginia Board of Osteopathic Medicine to establish a rule (24 CSR 09) allowing osteopathic physicians to obtain temporary practice permits during declared states of emergency or preparedness. This rule would directly affect osteopathic doctors by enabling them to provide care without meeting all standard licensing requirements during crises. The bill formalizes a rule previously filed in the State Register on March 27, 2025, creating a streamlined process for emergency permits. The key mechanism is the authorization of this specific rule to address healthcare workforce gaps during emergencies.

This bill allows physician assistants (PAs) in West Virginia to own medical practices and have ownership stakes in healthcare businesses, which was previously prohibited. It removes restrictions preventing PAs from having a "proprietary interest" in practices they refer patients to and permits medical corporations to have PA shareholders. The bill also updates the state’s legal definition of "physician assistant" to align with the American Academy of Physician Associates and classifies PA services as a "professional service" under limited liability company laws. These changes directly affect PAs seeking practice ownership and impact how medical corporations structure ownership.