Virginia Law

The Joint Commission on Health Care (the Commission) is established in the legislative branch of state government. The purpose of the Commission is to study, report and make recommendations on all areas of health care provision, regulation, insurance, liability, licensing, and delivery of services. In so doing, the Commission shall endeavor to ensure that the Commonwealth as provider, financier, and regulator adopts the most cost-effective and efficacious means of delivery of health care services so that the greatest number of Virginians receive quality health care. Further, the Commission shall encourage the development of uniform policies and services to ensure the availability of quality, affordable and accessible health services and provide a forum for continuing the review and study of programs and services.

The Commission may make recommendations and coordinate the proposals and recommendations of all commissions and agencies as to legislation affecting the provision and delivery of health care.

For the purposes of this chapter, "health care" shall include behavioral health care.

1992, cc. 799, 818, §§ 9-311, 9-312, 9-314; 2001, c. 844; 2003, c. 633.

The Commission shall consist of 18 legislative members. Members shall be appointed as follows: eight members of the Senate, to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules; and 10 members of the House of Delegates, of whom three shall be members of the House Committee on Health and Human Services, to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates in accordance with the principles of proportional representation contained in the Rules of the House of Delegates.

Members of the Commission shall serve terms coincident with their terms of office. Members may be reappointed. Appointments to fill vacancies, other than by expiration of a term, shall be for the unexpired terms. Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointments.

The Commission shall elect a chairman and vice-chairman from among its membership. A majority of the members shall constitute a quorum. The meetings of the Commission shall be held at the call of the chairman or whenever the majority of the members so request.

No recommendation of the Commission shall be adopted if a majority of the Senate members or a majority of the House members appointed to the Commission (i) vote against the recommendation and (ii) vote for the recommendation to fail notwithstanding the majority vote of the Commission.

2003, c. 633; 2005, c. 758.

Members of the Commission shall receive such compensation as provided in § 30-19.12. All members shall be reimbursed for reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties as provided in §§ 2.2-2813 and 2.2-2825. Funding for the costs of compensation and expenses of the members shall be provided by the Joint Commission on Health Care.

2003, c. 633.

The Commission shall have the following powers and duties:

1. To study and gather information and data to accomplish its purposes as set forth in § 30-168;

2. To study the operations, management, jurisdiction, powers and interrelationships of any department, board, bureau, commission, authority or other agency with any direct responsibility for the provision and delivery of health care in the Commonwealth;

3. To examine matters relating to health care services in other states and to consult and exchange information with officers and agencies of other states with respect to health service problems of mutual concern;

4. To maintain offices and hold meetings and functions at any place within the Commonwealth that it deems necessary;

5. To invite other interested parties to sit with the Commission and participate in its deliberations;

6. To appoint a special task force from among the members of the Commission to study and make recommendations on issues related to behavioral health care to the full Commission; and

7. To report its recommendations to the General Assembly and the Governor annually and to make such interim reports as it deems advisable or as may be required by the General Assembly and the Governor.

2003, c. 633.

The Commission may appoint, employ, and remove an executive director and such other persons as it deems necessary, and determine their duties and fix their salaries or compensation within the amounts appropriated therefor. The Commission may also employ experts who have special knowledge of the issues before it. All agencies of the Commonwealth shall provide assistance to the Commission, upon request.

2003, c. 633.

The chairman of the Commission shall submit to the General Assembly and the Governor an annual executive summary of the interim activity and work of the Commission no later than the first day of each regular session of the General Assembly. The executive summary shall be submitted as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and reports and shall be posted on the General Assembly's website.

2003, c. 633.

Repealed by Acts 2003, c. 633, cl. 2.

The Commission may request and shall receive from every department, division, board, bureau, commission, authority or other agency created by the Commonwealth, or to which the Commonwealth is party, or from any political subdivision of the Commonwealth, cooperation and assistance in the performance of its duties.

2004, c. 296.

Repealed by Acts 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 315, cl. 1, effective July 1, 2021.