Literature Review

The unintended and anticompetitive consequences of laws to control health care costsJAMA Forum; by Lanhee J. Chen; 6/24An array of federal and state laws, and accompanying regulations, restrict the supply of health care, driving up costs and making health care less affordable and accessible for many in the US. Too few health policy analysts and commentators have paid attention to these supply-side limitations that play a significant role in limiting the number of clinicians and health care facilities. Even though some of these policies were well-intentioned and designed to control costs, they have, in practice, undermined competition and ironically led to higher prices in the long run... Together, CON and COPA laws, as well as the ACA restrictions on POHs, have been associated with a host of unintended consequences, such as the aggregation of market power in increasingly larger health care facilities, limited access to care, and higher costs for patients. Indeed, these supply-side restrictions have been critiqued by analysts across the ideological spectrum. Policymakers at both the state and federal level should take note of the unintended effects of these laws and their accompanying regulatory provisions and consider whether their repeal or modification would benefit patients and the communities where they live.

AccentCare expands hospice care business to Rhode Island HomeCare; 6/7/24 AccentCare, a nationwide provider of home health, hospice and personal care services, announced the opening of its Warwick hospice location and its expansion into Rhode Island after being awarded a Certificate of Need (CON) license in the state. “We are excited to expand our footprint in New England and to provide hospice services to more patients and families in the region,” said Andy Johnston, president of hospice & PCS, AccentCare. “We know the critical role hospice plays in extending the continuum of care to patients and adding dignity to the end of life. We are honored to begin providing high-quality, compassionate care in Rhode Island.” 

Hospice providers: CON laws need overhaul in some statesHospice News, by Holly Vossel; 1/12/24Some hospice providers have hit roadblocks when it comes to navigating needs determination methodologies certificate of need (CON) laws in certain states, citing outdated processes for assessing underserved populations.

Hospices Seek Special Focus CONs to Reach Underserved PopulationsHospice NewsDecember 1, 2023Some states with certificate of need regulations have special focus policies that allow hospice providers to expand services among underserved communities. But navigating these CON processes can be a challenge. ... A difficulty in seeking these types of special focus CONs is proving an unmet need among specific populations, according to André Lee, co-founder and administrator of Nashville-based Heart’n Soul Hospice.