WV HB2409

Amends West Virginia Health Care Authority's oversight of cooperative agreements between hospitals and healthcare providers, removing definitions and restrictions specific to "qualified hospitals," "academic medical centers," and "teaching hospitals"

Removes the 20-mile geographic limitation that previously required authority approval only for mergers, consolidations, or acquisitions of hospitals within 20 highway miles of a qualified hospital's main campus

Eliminates legislative findings section that emphasized the importance of medical schools and teaching hospitals in training healthcare providers

Requires hospitals that merged, consolidated, or acquired another hospital after January 1, 2017 to file a cooperative agreement under these provisions before January 1, 2026 to ensure antitrust protection

Maintains authority oversight powers including fee caps of $75,000 for approval and $75,000 annually for supervision, along with enforcement mechanisms for compliance with cooperative agreement terms