A bill
http://www.ncleg.net/Applications/Bi...um=0introduced Republican Avila (Wake); Collins (Franklin, Nash); Burr (Montgomery, Stanley) ; in the state House is being touted as a way to save patients hundreds of millions by making it easier for physicians to open same-day surgery centers that usually charge less than hospitals. The state's hospital association is lobbying against the bill.
North Carolina has one of the nation’s most restrictive certificate of need (CON) programs.
The CON laws were designed to prevent excessive facilities and equipment.
Instead of reducing costs as intended, the bill’s proponents say the program squelches competition and makes routine surgeries more expensive.
Provision in the bill is in most counties, the state medical facilities plan would no longer limit the number of single-specialty operating rooms for ambulatory surgery centers, offices focused on providing same-day surgical care.
An exception: The bill would not allow new ambulatory surgery rooms in 23 counties with small, financially vulnerable hospitals known as “critical access hospitals.”
One of sponsor Avila says getting bill to pass is a long shot due to the hospital lobbyist they contribute over a million dollars to PAC's in 2011
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