Governor Corzine Announces Appointments to Commission on Rationalizing New Jersey's Health Care Resources
Thursday, December 14, 2006

Governor Jon S. Corzine announced nine additional members that he will appoint to the Commission on Rationalizing New Jersey’s Health Care Resources. The panel is charged with working to ensure the state’s supply of hospital and other health care services is best configured to appropriately respond to community needs for high-quality, affordable and accessible care. Additionally, the panel will ensure that there is proper oversight and accountability of limited public funds.

“It’s time we had a state health plan. We need to take a thoughtful look at whether all our hospitals are necessary, whether they are suitably located to meet health care needs, and whether state funding is being spent efficiently and properly,” said Governor Corzine “I’m proud to establish this commission to ensure that taxpayer dollars are spent wisely, to help meet New Jersey’s healthcare needs in a sustainable way, and to enhance oversight and accountability.”

The Governor previously announced Uwe E. Reinhardt, Ph.D., a world-renowned authority on health care economics and a Princeton University professor, will head the commission. The other members of the panel are:

• Joel C. Cantor, Sc.D. (Metuchen, Middlesex)
• Debra P. DiLorenzo (Longport, Atlantic)
• Gerry E. Goodrich, J.D., M.P.H. (New York, New York)
• David P. Hunter, M.P.H. (Newtown, Pennsylvania)
• Michele Kent Guhl (Lawrenceville, Mercer)
• Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, M.D. (Princeton, Mercer)
• JoAnn Pietro, R.N., Esq. (Boonton, Morris)
• Bruce Siegel, M.D., M.P.H. (Bethesda, Maryland)
• Peter R. Velez, M.P.H. (Belford, Monmouth)

The Governor has also asked the Commissioner of Health and Senior Services, the Commissioner of Banking and Insurance, and the Commissioner of Human Services, to participate as non-voting members of the Commission.

The commission will perform the following functions:

1. Assess the financial and operating condition of New Jersey’s acute care hospitals and analyze the characteristics of the state’s most financially distressed hospitals to identify common factors contributing to their distress.

2. Map existing health services statewide, project future demand for physicians, hospitals, federally qualified health centers and other ambulatory care providers, and compare future demand with existing capacity.

3. Develop criteria for the identification of essential general acute care hospitals in New Jersey to determine whether a financially distressed hospital at risk of closing is essential to maintaining access to hospital care for the residents of New Jersey.

4. Develop criteria for the appropriate level of oversight and accountability where state assistance is being provided to financially distressed hospitals.

5. Develop and publish a State Health Care Resource Allocation Plan that promotes the rational use of state and private health care resources, labor, and technology and serves as the basis for reviewing and approving the development and/or redeployment of health care assets and services around the state.

6. Make recommendations to strengthen state oversight and ensure greater accountability of state resources.

7. Issue a written report of its findings and recommendations no later than June 1, 2007 to the Governor, Senate President, Senate Minority Leader, Assembly Speaker, and Assembly Minority Leader.