A new report from Americans for Prosperity Foundation – Alabama is dropping truth bombs about the state's Certificate of Need (CON) laws. According to the report, these regulations are actually hurting Alabamians by jacking up healthcare costs and simultaneously lowering the quality of care. Ouch! Adam Thompson, AFPF-AL State Director, didn't mince words: "These costly regulations reduce competition, lower the quality of care, and stifle innovation." The report suggests that CON laws divert millions that could be used to improve healthcare outcomes. They're also accused of hamstringing providers' ability to compete and innovate. State Auditor Andrew Sorrell (formerly a state rep) introduced a bill to reform or abolish CON laws back in 2022 and called it a “CON law because the only people they are conning are the competition," The AFP-AL report paints a pretty picture of what could happen if Alabama ditched CON laws. Get this: researchers estimate Alabama would have over 178 hospitals compared to the 126 currently. Plus, patients could save over $200 a year on healthcare, and post-surgery complications could decrease by over 5%! The report claims that these CON laws artificially limit healthcare supply, leading to higher costs and lower quality care. AFPF-AL revealed Alabama has a whopping 50 CON requirements, costing providers a hefty $7.7 million in application fees over the last decade. And while Alabama consistently struggles with healthcare quality, these regulations only seem to be making things worse. Time for a change?CON Laws Slammed in New Report: Is Alabama's Healthcare System Being Held Back?
The Problem? Less Competition, Less Innovation
Are CON Laws a "Con"?
The Potential Fix: Scrap the CON Laws?
Stifling Innovation and Costing Money
