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WVHCA Issues Policy Statement for Public Witnesses

By Bob Coffield

On April 11, 2012, the West Virginia Health Care Authority announced a new policy regarding the testimony for witnesses from the public before the Authority at certificate of need and rate hearings. The policy statement issued by James L. Pitrolo, Jr. Chairman, is effective from April 11, 2012 and states as follows:

I. PURPOSE
To establish procedures and guidelines governing the testimony for witnesses
from the public.

II. CANCELLATION
This policy cancels and supersedes all prior memoranda regarding testimony for
witnesses from the public.
 
III. POLICY
In order to ensure an orderly public hearing, all witnesses from the public
shall register in person during the first day of the hearing. If a witness fails to
register during the first day of the hearing, the witness will not be allowed to
testify during the hearing. If multiple witnesses are present on behalf of one
party, the group can elect up to three representatives. The representative's
comments will be limited to five minutes each up to a maximum of 15 minutes.
Individual comments will be limited to five minutes each. Further, a witness in the
hearing that has provided testimony shall not testify as a witness from the public
in the same hearing.

Full post as published by Health Care Law Blog on April 29, 2012 (boomark / email).