Members of North Carolina's House Select Committee on Certificate of Need and Hospital-Related Issues plan to review the state's certificate of need laws later this year, following a call by N.C. Speaker of the House Thom Tillis in August for the committee to examine the regulations, according to a Charlotte Business Journal report.
The Republican Speaker made the call to examine the law in hopes to reduce the legal battles surrounding CON requests in the state. Under the state's regulations, nearly any healthcare facility — from hospitals to physician offices — planning to expand or replace facilities or buy large equipment must first receive approval from the state's Department of Health and Human Services, and these requests are often opposed by competing providers.
Hospitals in the state spend thousands to file and defend CON applications, and reforming the process could save healthcare providers significant amounts of money, according to the report.
The select committee plans to hold public forums to discuss the regulations in Asheville, Mount Holly and Wilmington. Legislation is not expected until 2013.
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The Republican Speaker made the call to examine the law in hopes to reduce the legal battles surrounding CON requests in the state. Under the state's regulations, nearly any healthcare facility — from hospitals to physician offices — planning to expand or replace facilities or buy large equipment must first receive approval from the state's Department of Health and Human Services, and these requests are often opposed by competing providers.
Hospitals in the state spend thousands to file and defend CON applications, and reforming the process could save healthcare providers significant amounts of money, according to the report.
The select committee plans to hold public forums to discuss the regulations in Asheville, Mount Holly and Wilmington. Legislation is not expected until 2013.
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