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Michael Folk on Health Care
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Abolish "Certificate of Need" law as anti-competitive
Reduce Healthcare Costs by abolishing the Certificate of Need (CON) law passed in 1977 that prevents competition! One cause for
WV's high inflation rate in healthcare services is directly related to anti-competitive policies that result from laws in West Virginia and 34 other states that are known as Certificate of Need (CON).
Source: 2020 West Virginia Governor campaign website Folk4WV.com
, Dec 16, 2019
We need a free market in health care
Folk said an issue is a lack of free market in health care in West Virginia. "We don't have a free market in West Virginia because of the Certificate of Need," Folk said. "I put a bill in to abolish it or greatly reduce the Certificate of Need.
There is a guy who works doing imaging in Ohio, the cost is $50. When he works in West Virginia, he has to work through a hospital and the cost is $500 to $800 for the same thing. If you want to get people into the state, one of the things
needed is lower health care costs."According to the West Virginia Health Care Authority's website, in West Virginia, all health care providers, unless exempt, are required to secure a
Certificate of Need prior to adding or expanding health care services, exceeding a certain capital expenditure threshold, purchasing major medical equipment or building or acquiring new health care facilities.
Source: MyBuckhannon.com on 2020 West Virginia Governor debate
, Aug 27, 2019
Limit class-action medical malpractice awards to $500,000
Rep. Folk voted YES on a bill to limit Medical Malpractice awards to $500,000 even in the case of multiple plaintiffs: Legiscan summary of West Virginia legislation S.B.6:
The purpose of this bill is to control the increase
in the cost of liability insurance and to maintain access to affordable health care services for West Virginians. It provides a mechanism to increase the limitation on civil damages in medical malpractice cases to account for inflation by linking
increases to the Consumer Price Index. It also requires appellate courts to review certain decisions made by circuit court judges; adds provisions limiting the admissibility and use of certain information; and requires adjustment of verdicts for past
medical expenses.Legislative outcome: Vetoed by Governor; then modified & re-passed by Senate 28-4-2 on March 6; re-passed by House 77-16-7 on March 9; then signed by Gov. Tomblin March 18.
Source: West Virginia legislative voting records for S.B.6
, Mar 18, 2015
No universally-accessible public health insurance
Q: Do you support a universally-accessible, publicly-administered health insurance option?A: No.
Q: Do you support expanding access to health care through commercial health insurance reform?
A: Yes.
Q: Do you support requiring individuals to purchase health care insurance?
A: No.
Q: Do you support monetary limits on damages that can be collected in malpractice lawsuits?
A: Yes.
Q: Do you support allowing doctors to prescribe marijuana to their patients for medicinal purposes?
A: Yes.
Folk adds, "I support of allowing consumers to buy health insurance across state lines... I do not support increased government bureaucracy which results in higher costs to all citizens."
Source: West Virginia State 2012 Political Courage Test
, Nov 1, 2012
Page last updated: Dec 15, 2020
