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FL governor wants to end CON law

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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 A recent study by an Alabama policy think-tank notes that 13 states have recently repealed CON regs, and it seems that the pressure is on to do so elsewhere.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 (reg. req.)

Related Articles:
AL study questions need for CON process. Article
GA physicians battle for looser ASC regs. Report
GA to revamp CON system. Report

Comments

By all means get rid of CON, but Medicare and insurance companies should really get serious about looking at qualifications of people doing procedures. Just because docs are board certified in some specialty does not make them qualified to do any procedure. One way of ensuring quality is to restrict priviliges for unqualified or marginally trained people. Current board certification and re-certification should be made mandatory. Board certification does NOT equate with quality or competence. Not having board certification however shows serious lack of commitment to the profession and lack of baic knowledge required to pass these exams. .

CONs need to go. They are anti-competitive and merely protect entrenched institutions. They are usually supported by only one group- the AHA.

Mr. Murali is wrong about Board Certification. Since the advent of Board Certification there has been no change in the number of lawsuits, no change in the actual competence of physicians. He admits that Board Certification 'does not equate with quality or competence.' Not having board certification just shows that some people are unwilling to memorize and regurgitate often incorrect information just to be able to pay the board exam fees and to continue to pay re-cert fees in the future. It is largely a game that has no real-life meaning. Surgical skills are not part of board exams. Bedside skills are not part of board exams. Compassion is not part of board exams. Board Examiners have their own sets of prejudices that one must 'satisfy.' If Board Examiners believe the world is flat, there is no room for an opinion to the contrary. All Board exams do is limit original thinking. I suspect Murali thinks everyone is incompetent and unqualified but him, like so many physicians arrogant in their snobbery. Last time I checked malpractice cases were largely filed against Board Certified physicians.

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