It took an Iowa ophthalmologist 20 years, five applications and a lawsuit before he was able to open an ASC in Cedar Rapids next to his practice, according to an op-ed published in the Gazette.
Lee Birchansky, MD, is currently involved with a court case involving Iowa's laws requiring certificates of need to build medical facilities, including ASCs. Dr. Birchansky wrote in his op-ed that existing facilities are appealing his certificate of need application, and that a ruling in the existing facilities' favor in court could shut his facility down.
Dr. Birchansky argues that such laws favor large organizations with established facilities and that those organizations are the only ones who benefit from decreased competition.
Dr. Birchansky also said certificate of need laws hurt patients by driving up costs and decreasing the amount of choice they have in care sites.
Read the full op-ed here.