West Virginia Health Care Association

The West Virginia Health Care Association (WVHCA) is a trade association for extended care providers of health care in West Virginia. It is a state affiliate of the American Health Care Association. The WVHCA has 125 member facilities that include nursing homes, assisted living communities, and hospital based skilled nursing facilities. The WVHCA also has an associate membership category for suppliers of goods and services to our members.

The WVHCA was incorporated in 1976 as a not-for-profit organization for licensed facilities to gain information, representation, education, and services for the common goal of providing quality care in safe surroundings for fair payment. The members consist of proprietary (73%) and nonproprietary facilities (27%) for a total of more than 11,000 beds. A majority of the facilities (66%) exceed 90 beds in capacity, while 34% has less than 90 beds.

In 1986 the WVHCA established the West Virginia Long Term Care Service Corporation (WVLTCSC), a for-profit subsidiary of the WVHCA. Through the Service Corporation, the association provides a discounted purchasing program, an endorsement of a retirement plan for member employees through The Variable Annuity Life Insurance Company (VALIC), and a term life insurance policy for member employees through Reliance Standard Life Insurance Company.

A restricted account was established in 1990 as a means of collecting additional dues specifically for the association’s legal and data needs. By collecting and using data, the association can provide needed information to legislative and regulatory agencies.

The WVHCA took a bold step in 1997 and again, raised dues to provide a stronger voice for our members. Research has shown that the public perception of long term care is based upon outdated information. They need to hear and see that there have been changes. Our message to legislators, regulators, and the public is about living; our residents are living a quality of life that they could not have in another setting.