Changes

'''Certificate of Need''' (CON) is a [[state]] regulation requiring health practitioners to obtain prior approval from state regulators before offering certain medical equipment, such as MRIs and CT scanners, for use by patients.  Certificate of Need laws still in place in thirty-five states, which require healthcare facilities to get permission from a government commission to expand or otherwise invest in additional medical equipment. These commissions are often stacked with representatives from existing hospitals, who have an incentive to restrict new supply and thus limit competition.<ref>[https://mises.org/wire/how-left-trying-blame-capitalism-covid-19-deaths How the Left Is Trying to Blame Capitalism for COVID-19 Deaths], Bradley Thomas, misis.org</ref><ref>[https://www.justice.gov/atr/competition-health-care-and-certificates-need-joint-statement-antitrust-division-us-department Competition in Health Care and Certificates of Need], "Many CON programs trace their origin to a repealed federal mandate, the National Health Planning and Resources Development Act of 1974, which offered incentives for states to implement CON programs."</ref><ref>See also [[crony capitalism]]</ref>

 

'''Certificate of Need''' (CON) is a [[state]] regulation requiring health practitioners to obtain prior approval from state regulators before offering certain medical equipment, such as MRIs and CT scanners, for use by patients.  Certificate of Need laws still in place in thirty-five states, which require healthcare facilities to get permission from a government commission to expand or otherwise invest in additional medical equipment. These commissions are often stacked with representatives from existing hospitals, who have an incentive to restrict new supply and thus limit competition.<ref>[https://mises.org/wire/how-left-trying-blame-capitalism-covid-19-deaths How the Left Is Trying to Blame Capitalism for COVID-19 Deaths], Bradley Thomas, misis.org</ref><ref>[https://www.justice.gov/atr/competition-health-care-and-certificates-need-joint-statement-antitrust-division-us-department Competition in Health Care and Certificates of Need], "Many CON programs trace their origin to a repealed federal mandate, the National Health Planning and Resources Development Act of 1974, which offered incentives for states to implement CON programs."</ref>

During the 2019-2020 [[Coronavirus|COVID-19]] outbreak, CON laws became the subject of controversy due to their creating an unnecessary shortage of hospital beds.<ref>[https://thehill.com/opinion/healthcare/488783-americas-hospitals-are-unprepared-for-coronavirus-heres-why-you-should America's hospitals are unprepared for coronavirus — here's why you should blame government]</ref>

During the 2019-2020 [[Coronavirus|COVID-19]] outbreak, CON laws became the subject of controversy due to their creating an unnecessary shortage of hospital beds.<ref>[https://thehill.com/opinion/healthcare/488783-americas-hospitals-are-unprepared-for-coronavirus-heres-why-you-should America's hospitals are unprepared for coronavirus — here's why you should blame government]</ref>