CHARLESTON, WV- A new bill introduced in the West Virginia House of Delegates seeks to improve medical testing for some critically ill hospital patients.
House Bill 2789, also known as the Michael Brandon Cochran Act, would require hospitals to perform specific blood tests on ICU patients who are unconscious or have severe low blood sugar.
The bill follows the conviction of Natalie Cochran, a former Raleigh County pharmacist, for killing her husband Michael Cochran by injecting him with insulin.
The bill, sponsored by Raleigh County Delegates Bill Roop, Jordan Maynor, and Eric Brooks, requires hospitals to perform a C-peptide test on ICU patients with a blood glucose level of 49 mg/dl or less.
This test measures a protein to determine how much insulin the body produces.
Furthermore, if a patient dies after an ICU stay and exhibits symptoms such as unconsciousness, seizures, or confusion, the hospital must perform a post-mortem C-peptide analysis.
Hospitals that fail to comply with these requirements may face a $10,000 fine per violation, imposed by the Office of Health Facility Licensure and Certification (OHFLAC).
The bill also proposes establishing the Michael Brandon Cochran Grant Program to help hospitals comply with these new testing requirements.
The program, administered by the Department of Health Facilities, would reimburse hospitals for the cost of C-peptide testing and staff training.
The grants would be funded by a newly established state fund, which could be replenished through private donations, grants, and other sources.
The bill has been referred to the House Committee on Health and Human Resources, which will then forward it to the Judiciary Committee for further consideration.
