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House subcommittee advances bill to lift certificate‑of‑need for hospitals amid rural access debate
Summary
Representative Garrett's bill to remove acute‑care hospitals from Tennessee's certificate‑of‑need (CON) process advanced out of the House Health Subcommittee after divided testimony from hospital leaders, rural providers and legal experts. The panel voted 5‑1 with three present not voting to send the measure to the full Health Committee.
The House Health Subcommittee on Wednesday approved House Bill 819, a measure that would eliminate certificate‑of‑need (CON) requirements for acute‑care hospitals, advancing it to the full House Health Committee despite pointed debate over rural hospital stability.
Proponents, including legal advocates and some hospital executives, argued that removing CON for acute care would reduce barriers to needed hospitals and speed access to services. Killeen Lindgren of the Pacific Legal Foundation, which litigates constitutional and regulatory cases, told the subcommittee that four decades of research show CON laws correlate with fewer hospitals, higher costs…
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