Executive Exclusives

West Virginia has a large and growing population of older people who will likely need some type of long-term care and services to live safely in their later years. Among the states, West Virginia has the third highest percentage—20%—of its total population who are 65 or older. According to the West Virginia University Bureau of Business and Economic Research, the total population of West Virginians over 65 will grow 41% between 2010-2030.

Experts say that certificate-of-need (CON) laws are hurting the quality of health care in West Virginia, but there are efforts to eliminate the onerous regulations. CON laws require health care providers to get permission before expanding or offering new services. While advocates argue this can prevent substandard care being performed by unqualified providers, detractors of CON laws say they help entrenched providers keep competition out of the market.

Despite the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic, the Bonnie’s Bus Mobile Mammography Program has wrapped up its 12th season on the road. The bus visited 35 counties in West Virginia, providing mammograms to more than 1,500 patients during 120 screening days.

By Jessica Wright Recognizing progress, building capacity and changing the narrative—these are the goals of