Committees in Georgia are preparing to make recommendations to state lawmakers ahead of the 2024 legislative session regarding the repeal or reform of certificate-of-need laws, according to an Aug. 6 report from The Tifton Gazette.
Georgie House and Senate committees plan to host a handful of meetings at various locations throughout the state to hear from healthcare officials on proposed certificate-of-need reforms. The committees plan to provide recommendations on whether to repeal or reform existing laws.
Opponents of certificate-of-need laws argue that they have contributed to a rising cost of healthcare and decreased healthcare access. Proponents believe the laws provide balance between new hospitals and older rural facilities.
According to an academic analysis from the Georgia Public Policy Foundation, 82 percent of studies associated certificate-of-need laws with diminished availability of access and healthcare services, 55 percent associated the laws with diminished quality of services, and 80 percent associated laws with worse outcomes for underserved populations.
The Senate committee plans to meet for the second time Aug. 28.