The Southwest Virginia Health Authority has deemed complete Wellmont Health System and Mountain States Health Alliance’s application for a cooperative agreement that would allow them to merge. The group unanimously approved a motion to deem the application complete after a two-hour meeting and despite opposition from the Virginia Association of Health Plans, which said more information should be sought and details provided.
The decision starts a timeline of up to 150 business days in Virginia, at the end of which the Commonwealth’s Commissioner of Health will issue a decision as to whether to approve the cooperative agreement, which would allow the merger to go forward and be regulated by the state.
