Department of Health (601)

Authority: §§ 32.1-102.1 through 32.1-102.12 32.1-102.11; 32.1-122.01 through 32.1-122.08; and 32.1-123 through 32.1-138.5, Code of Virginia; and P.L. 96-79, as amended, Federal Code; and Title XVIII and Title XIX of the U.S. Social Security Act, Federal Code.

A. Supplemental funding for the regional health planning agencies shall be provided from the following sources:

1. Special funds from Certificate of Public Need (40608) application fees in excess of those required to operate the COPN Program, provided the program may retain special fund balances each year equal to of one month's operational needs in case of revenue shortfalls in the subsequent year.

2. The Department of Health shall revise annual agreements with the regional health planning agencies to require an annual independent financial audit to examine the use of state funds and the reasonableness of those expenditures.

B. Failure of any regional health planning agency to establish or sustain business operations shall cause funds to revert to the Central Office to support health planning and Certificate of Public Need functions.

C. The State Health Commissioner shall continue implementation of the "Five-Year Action Plan: Improving Access to Primary Health Care Services in Medically Underserved Areas and Populations of the Commonwealth." A minimum of $150,000 the first year and $150,000 the second year from the general fund shall be provided to the Virginia Office of Rural Health, as the state match for the federal Office of Rural Health Policy Grant. The commissioner is authorized to contract for services to accomplish the plan.

D. Out of the this appropriation, $278,000 the first year and $278,000 the second year is appropriated to the department from statewide indirect cost recoveries to match federal funds and support the programs of the Office of Licensure and Certification. Amounts recovered in excess of the special fund appropriation shall be deposited to the general fund.

E. Out of this appropriation, $96,150 the first year and $93,900 the second year from the general fund is provided for plan management activities related to the federal exchange.  The Department of Health shall seek federal funding to cover the cost of this function.  If federal funding is available then the department shall reimburse the general fund for these costs.

F. The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) in collaboration with the Department of Health Professions shall issue risk mitigation guidelines on the prescription of the class of potent pain medicines known as extended-release and long-acting (ER/LA) opioid analgesics to include co-prescription of an opioid antagonist, approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), for administration by family members or caregivers in a non-medically supervised environment.