Certificate of need (CON) laws have been a subject of debate since their inception in the United States half a century ago. Intended to control healthcare costs and improve access to care, Missouri’s CON law requires healthcare providers to obtain government permission before opening certain facilities, expanding certain care services, or installing certain medical machines.
Yet research tends to show CON has the opposite effect of its original intention, leading to higher costs and reduced access to care for patients. This is not surprising, of course. As President Ronald Reagan once joked, often when the government comes “to help” is when the public should get concerned.
Missouri can stop “helping” in this counterproductive way by unwinding its CON law. By repealing its certificate of need law through removing sections 197.300-197.367 from the state’s statutes, Missouri could promote competition, reduce costs, and increase access to care for all Missourians.
To find out more about the CON issue in Missouri, read our 2019 paper on the subject, End Certificate of Need in Missouri.
