Leaders of the House of Delegates and the Virginia Senate have announced the creation of the Joint Working Group on Certificate of Public Need (COPN) Reform. 

The working group will include:

• Robert D. Orrock, Sr. (R-Caroline), Chairman of the House Committee on Health, Welfare and Institutions
• John M. O’Bannon, III (R-Henrico)
• Kathy J. Byron (R-Bedford)
• T. Scott Garrett (R-Lynchburg)
• Christopher P. Stolle (R-Virginia Beach)
• Stephen Newman (R-Bedford), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Education and Health
• Siobhan S. Dunnavant (R-Henrico)
• David R. Suetterlein (R-Roanoke)
• George L. Barker (D-Fairfax)
• L. Louise Lucas (D-Portsmouth)

In announcing the creation of the working group, Speaker of the House of Delegates William J. Howell noted, “The House of Delegates advanced an innovative COPN reform proposal last year. We are committed to continuing that effort. This working group will give legislators the opportunity to work directly with individual healthcare providers who are willing to engage productively on reforms.  I look forward to reviewing the legislative proposals presented by the working group as we prepare for the 2017 General Assembly session.”

The two bills referenced by Speaker Howell were HB193/O’Bannon and HB350/Byron. HB193 would have repealed COPN on most services in a staggered 18-month process while maintaining COPN for nursing facilities, open heart surgery, and organ transplant. HB350 would have eliminated mental health facilities from the COPN process and streamlined the COPN application process.  Those bills were not passed by the Senate.

VHCA-VCAL will monitor the activity of the joint working group and continue its outreach to legislators to discuss the association’s continued support for the COPN program for nursing centers.