Governor Patrick Morrisey made headlines last week with a trio of new appointments to the West Virginia Health Care Authority—moves that signal his continued push to dismantle the state’s long-standing certificate of need (CON) program.
The governor tapped former Delegate Heather Glasko-Tully, former West Virginia Republican Party chairman Doug McKinney, and ex-Attorney General staffer Robert Cheren for the three-member board, which oversees the CON application process. These appointments came just a week after Morrisey teased further action on CON during a public statement.
The Health Care Authority, established in 1983, is tasked with approving or denying proposals for new health care services, major facility upgrades, and acquisition of expensive medical equipment. Under the current CON law—on the books since 1977—providers must prove the need for a new service or facility before receiving state approval.
The program was originally created to prevent redundant services and manage rising health care costs. But critics, including Morrisey, argue it has done the opposite—stifling competition, limiting access, and protecting monopolies.
Glasko-Tully, a nurse from Nicholas County and former vice chair of the House Health and Human Resources Committee, has long opposed the CON system. She co-sponsored several bills aimed at repealing it during her time in office before losing her 2024 Republican primary.
McKinney, a retired urologist who served as chair of the state GOP in the late 2000s, brings both medical and political experience. He’s been a vocal supporter of Morrisey for years.
Cheren, the third appointee, once worked under Morrisey in the Attorney General’s office and now serves as senior counsel at a nonprofit focused on government whistleblower support.
All three appointees appear to meet the statutory requirements for the board—backgrounds in health care, business, or as consumers of health services. However, state law also mandates political balance, limiting any one party to just two seats. Given the Republican connections of all three, questions are now swirling about compliance with that rule.
Each board member receives a salary: $80,000 for the chair (appointed by the governor) and $70,000 for the remaining two.
While Morrisey still needs the Legislature to officially repeal the CON law, this newly shaped board could effectively approve most applications, weakening the program’s influence.
Americans for Prosperity–West Virginia, a key Morrisey ally, celebrated the appointments. State Director Jason Huffman called them “bold, principled leadership,” claiming the CON laws “hurt West Virginians’ access to affordable, high-quality care.”
Interestingly, Huffman was also appointed by Morrisey this week to serve on the state’s Judicial Vacancy Advisory Commission.
Whether this marks the beginning of the end for West Virginia’s certificate of need system remains to be seen—but one thing is clear: Morrisey is stacking the deck to make it happen.
