§ 33-25-3 — Incorporation; purposes; name; limitations

Any law to the contrary notwithstanding, nonprofit, nonstock corporations may be organized in accordance with the provisions of article one, chapter thirty-one of the Code of West Virginia, for the sole purpose of providing any or all of the following direct health care services, at the expense of the corporation, to its members and subscribers through contracts with duly licensed physicians and surgeons, osteopathic physicians and surgeons, chiropractors, chiropodists, nurses, dentists, optometrists and pharmacists, and any others who are licensed to engage in the practice of the healing arts, as well as hospitals, clinics, convalescent centers, nursing homes, and any other persons, corporations, associations, and institutions engaged in the business of providing facilities, appliances, supplies and services incidental to such health care.

No such corporation shall include in its name the words "insurance," "casualty," "surety," "health and accident," "accident and sickness," "mutual," or any other words, which in the opinion of the commissioner are descriptive of the insurance, casualty or surety business, or deceptively similar to the name or description of any insurance or surety corporation doing business in the state.

A corporation shall provide only direct health care services to the subscribers to its health care plan and shall not provide for the payment of any cash or cash indemnity to or on behalf of a subscriber: Provided, That a corporation may provide a cash reimbursement to a subscriber who employs or obtains in the event of an emergency the health care services of any person, corporation, association or institution named or referred to in this section and located outside the territorial boundaries within which the corporation is licensed to operate.

Legislative History

1964 Reg. Sess., HB50