The Certificate of Need Paradox: How Administrative Monopolies Degrade Rural Healthcare
In
Public Health Policy
By
Ethan Na
Across thirty-five states in the U.S., healthcare providers are legally barred from opening new clinics, adding hospital beds, or purchasing advanced diagnostic machinery without explicit regulatory approval. These framework restrictions, known as Certificate of Need (CON) laws, require applicants to prove to a state board that a community lacks sufficient medical options before expanding services. This op-ed argues that these statutes merely protect dominant hospital monopolies, leaving rural communities entirely unserved.


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