Ed Sealover, Denver Business Journal
Gov. John Hickenlooper acknowledged Monday that he is considering pushing a proposal to create certificates of need for hospitals, a potentially seismic regulatory change that would slow the recent growth of suburban hospitals and stand-alone emergency rooms in an attempt to slow the rising costs of health care as well.
Meanwhile, Adam Fox, director of strategic engagement for the Colorado Consumer Health Initiative, said his group in interested in discussing the idea, but not willing to support any proposal until it analyzes both the details of such a program and the potential of that program to slow the increase in Coloradans’ health costs.
“When you have more facilities opening up, I think the question is whether all of them are necessary. And if all these facilities keep opening up, what does that mean for costs?” Fox asked. “The certificate-of-need program is a promising idea we’re interested in, but how that certificate of need is used would determine if it could be effective.”
Read the full article here.