In an effort to dramatically increase choices and lower costs for health care patients across the state, members of the Senate filed a host of proposals to reform North Carolina’s outdated and burdensome Certificate of Need (CON) laws.
Currently, North Carolina’s CON laws discourage competition and drive up costs by forbidding health care providers from performing many medical services, building new facilities or even buying or replacing their own equipment without approval from state regulators. The laws are among the most restrictive in the entire country, regulating dozens of services and procedures. And studies have pointed to CON restrictions leading in part to thousands fewer patient beds in the state, along with fewer MRI machines and CT scanners.
CON is one more example of government overreach that may be well-intended, but in reality only serves to curb patient choices and drive up the already spiraling cost of health care. I’m pleased to join my Senate colleagues in working toward a solution that spurs more competition, lowers costs and puts patients first.