Senate Joint Resolution (SJR) 104 of the 1996 Session of the General Assembly directed the Joint Commission on Health Care in consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human Resources, to review and make recommendations concerning the Commonwealth's numerous governmental, not-for-profit, and independent entities receiving state funds or having responsibilities for or involvement in health care policy or regulation. As an initial step in its study, the Joint Commission was requested to identify the entities with health care or health care-related missions and to determine which functions and roles overlap or converge.

Based on our research and analysis, we concluded the following:

• There is a large number (63) of health care and health care-related boards, commissions, committees and councils; most, if not all, have specific constituencies which support their mission and existence.

• Major health care agencies believe the current number, structure, mission and functions of their respective boards, commissions, committees and councils are appropriate.

• The Department of Medical Assistance Services is working to restructure its advisory committee on Medicare and Medicaid.

• There is little interaction between the various boards, commissions, committees and councils.

• The Virginia Health Planning Board has not met in several years; consideration should be given to restructuring or eliminating it.

A number of policy options were offered for consideration by the Joint Commission regarding the issues addressed in this report. These policy options are discussed on page 9.

Our review process on this topic included an initial staff briefing which you will find in the body of this report followed by a public comment period during which time interested parties forwarded written comments to us on the report. In many cases, the public comments, which are provided at the end of this report, provided additional insight into the various topics covered in this study.