However, in a Feb. 3 opinion piece published by The West Virginia Daily News, Jaimie Cavanaugh, an attorney with Pacific Legal Foundation, argued the opposite.
Here are thee takeaways from Ms. Cavanaugh’s article:
1. Ms. Cavanaugh notes that 40% of the nation’s population presently lives in a state with only one or zero CON laws. She cites one study that found “no evidence that CON repeal is associated with hospital closures in rural areas.”
2. Rural communities were more likely to benefit from the competition that resulted from CON repeal, the study found. She claims that removing regulation in West Virginia would allow more facilities to open and create more job opportunities for future healthcare workers, “boosting job creation while improving patient care.”
3. She cites South Carolina as an example, as the state repealed most of its CON laws in 2023. Recently, the University of South Carolina announced plans to build a $350 million hospital. The state is also planning a new residential juvenile psychiatric treatment facility, which Ms. Cavanaugh claims demonstrates the relationship between CON repeal and spurred healthcare growth.
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