End to a significant portion of Tennessee’s Certificate of Need.

HB 966 / SB 1093

Bill Description

Hospitals and Health Care Facilities – As introduced, removes the requirement to obtain a certificate of need to establish or relocate certain healthcare facilities or initiate certain healthcare services, except for the initiation of services for a burn unit or organ transplantation.

Bill Sponsors

Bill Co-Sponsors

House: Fritts

TLRC Statement on Bill

Free markets and competition are important parts of a vibrant healthcare system. Citizens deserve the best healthcare options available to them. But under the current scheme of certificate of need, medical monopolies have been created which do not promote better healthcare, but simply limit the options available to patients.

Tennesseans carry pride in being a business-friendly state and talk of lessening the regulatory burden on businesses. Yet, in healthcare, it is the legislature that reserves the right to pick the winners and losers through certificate of need. It turns out, it is the patients who end up being the losers.

Let’s promote competition in healthcare and let patients decide the kind of care they want in Tennessee. End certificate of need.

Vote Result:

Failed

TLRC Position:

SUPPORT

Read the Bill