If Florida's governor gets his way, the state will repeal its certificate-of-need rules for acute-care hospitals. Governor Charlie Crist (R) included a proposal to eliminate CON rules in his fiscal 2009 budget, arguing that such a move would "increase competition and efficiency in the healthcare marketplace." The idea seems to be popular beyond the governor's mansion; the state's Agency for Health Care Administration, which oversees the CON process there, made a similar proposal late last year.
At the moment, the perennial debate over the value of CON rules seems to be heating up again, if early anecdotal evidence is any indication. A recent study by an Alabama policy think-tank notes that 13 states have recently repealed CON regs, and it seems that the pressure is on to do so elsewhere.
To learn more about this issue:
- read this Modern Healthcare piece [1] (reg. req.)
Related Articles:
AL study questions need for CON process. Article [2]
GA physicians battle for looser ASC regs. Report [3]
GA to revamp CON system. Report [4]
Links:
[1] http://www.modernhealthcare.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080201/REG/482651875
[2] http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/story/al-study-questions-need-con-process/2008-01-30
[3] http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/story/ga-physicians-battle-for-looser-asc-regs/2006-10-23
[4] http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/story/ga-to-revamp-con-system/2006-09-26