Cato Daily Podcast Certificate of Need Laws and Pandemic Response
Dec 11, 2024
Jaimie Cavanaugh, a researcher at the Pacific Legal Foundation, dives into the shortcomings of certificate of need laws during the pandemic. She highlights how these regulations hindered healthcare facilities, resulting in higher mortality rates in affected states. Cavanaugh also discusses South Carolina's recent repeal of such laws, aimed at improving access to essential health services. Additionally, she emphasizes women's autonomy in childbirth and the barriers restrictive licensure laws pose to midwives, shedding light on the urgent need for reform in maternal care.
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CON Laws and Hospital Bed Shortages
- Hospitals with CON laws were 27% more likely to run out of beds during the pandemic, even with waivers.
- Decades of restricting bed supply made it impossible to quickly adapt.
CON Laws and COVID Mortality
- States with CON laws experienced higher COVID mortality rates.
- This highlights the negative consequences of restricting healthcare supply.
South Carolina's CON Law Repeal
- South Carolina repealed its CON laws (except for nursing homes) in 2023.
- This was a major achievement, involving various stakeholders.