A pilot program to bring affordable and preventable health care to West Virginians, based on a Wheeling doctor’s idea, has been announced by Gove Joe Manchin.
According to the Wheeling News-Register the Preventive Care Clinic-Based Plan was created by Dr. Vic Wood at his Doctors Urgent Care practice. Under his original idea, patients would pay a monthly fee directly to their doctor. In return, they would be able to receive an unlimited number of doctors’ visits, needed X-rays and lab work and some pharmaceuticals.
No co-payments, deductibles, pre-existing limitations or prior authorizations were involved with the plan.
The West Virginia Insurance Commission, however, takes the position that Wood is instead offering a form of insurance.
“My feeling was that we were offering a pre-paid purchase agreement to patients,” Wood told the News-Register. “The insurance industry looked at it as falling under insurance.
“I quit advertising the program. But whenever a patient came to me and asked me about it, I allowed them to sign up. We’re not talking about sausages here. We’re talking about health care. What we did was cut out the insurance industry, decrease the overall cost for health care and increase the quality for health care by giving direct access.”
Wood next went the political route, seeking assistance from state Sen. Jeff Kessler and Delegate Scott Varner, both D-Marshall. Legislation proposed last year by Kessler passed the state Senate, but the subsequent bill sponsored in the House by Varner was killed.
Early last year, Wood presented his plan to Manchin, who “really liked it,” Wood said. The Affordable Insurance Workgroup was then formed to see how his plan could be taken statewide. The State Insurance Commission was a part of this work group.
The proposed pilot program announced by Manchin this week would limit the plan to just eight providers in the state, and each could have up to three satellite offices.
“This takes the ambiguity out of it as far as the insurance commissioner is concerned,” Wood said.
Businesses could sign up for the plan as a benefit to their employees, and Workers’ Compensation benefits would be included.
Wood speculates this program could be a major step toward improving the overall health care of West Virginians.
He credited Manchin for supporting the idea on behalf of patients in West Virginia. “His leadership has been outstanding,” Wood said of Manchin.
“Thanks to Gov. Manchin’s foresight, this program will allow patients to enter into health care for medical conditions and be treated without thinking it will bankrupt the family,” Wood said. “It takes health care out of the insurance market and puts it back in the hands of the patients.”
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