,

Concerns are growing over the potential impact of the coronavirus on the United States and whether patients will be able to get the care they need.
 
Unfortunately, 38 states limit the supply of health care — and the availability of hospital beds —through arcane laws known as “certificate of need” (CON). Those states require government approval before building or expanding a healthcare facility or service — approval that can hinge on whether existing hospitals are willing to allow others to enter the market to compete against them.
 
Today, we’re seeing a stark example of why the availability of medical services is so important, but it’s just one example. There are countless other stories of how CON laws deny patients access to medical services simply to protect existing medical providers against economic competition.
 
Here’s your chance to learn more about this critical issue.
 
Tomorrow, March 18, you are invited to call into a live podcast sponsored by the Federalist Society to hear two experts discuss how states can eliminate these harmful certificate-of-need monopolies and improve overall access to healthcare. Goldwater Institute Executive Vice President Christina Sandefur will lead the discussion with Josh Windham, an attorney for the Institute for Justice. Sandefur recently authored a study on certificate of need laws, published by the Federalist Society’s Regulatory Transparency Project.
 
The live podcast will start at 12 pm Eastern time/9 am Arizona time on Wednesday. To join the discussion, please dial (888) 752-3232. For more information, please visit: https://regproject.org/event/live-podcast-certificate-of-need-laws-and-healthcare-access/.