Press Release: New Research Highlights Negative Impacts of W.Va.’s Certificate of Need Laws

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DATE: January 28th, 2022

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT

Amanda Kieffer, Communications Director at Cardinal Institute for WV Policy

PHONE: (304)-541-9551  EMAIL: [email protected]

New Research Highlights Negative Impacts of W.Va.’s Certificate of Need Laws

Charleston, W. Va.—The Cardinal Institute for West Virginia released a new paper today exploring certificate of need (CON) laws and their impacts on West Virginia’s healthcare system. This new paper dives into the research behind CON laws and their history in the Mountain State. The paper also investigates several applications from health care providers as well as court cases that have shown a pattern of anti-competitive behavior on the part of major health care providers in West Virginia.

According to recent polling conducted by the Zoldak Agency and commissioned by the Cardinal Institute, 58% of likely voters in West Virginia are concerned about their ability to access health care in the future. CON laws, like those in West Virginia, have been shown to decrease the number of hospitals in rural areas and increase per capita expenses on patients. Additionally, as the legislature considers a full repeal of West Virginia’s CON laws, 60% of likely voters have indicated that they would support a bill to repeal these laws.

“CON laws are far from a rational or reasonable policy. More importantly, they keep West Virginia from being a leader in healthcare,” said Jessica Dobrinsky, Policy Development Associate for the Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy. “Empirical evidence shows that the creation of incumbent providers through CON inflicts expensive barriers to entry, quells supply, and shields existing providers from market competition. CON laws fail to promote affordable, high-quality care and actively inhibit Mountaineers’ ability to lead safe and healthy lives.”

About the Cardinal Institute

The Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in September 2014 dedicated to research, develop, and communicate effective free market economic public policies for West Virginia.

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