I waited all week for someone else to say something dumber than House Speaker Jody Richards' whopper on Monday in defense of Certificate of Need laws.
It didn't happen.
Bear in mind that every single analysis of CON has determined that by artificially limiting supply of health care services, CON laws cause prices for medical services to go higher than they would with repeal of these laws.
From the Kentucky Tonight television program on Monday night, here is Speaker Richards' comment:
"Since so much of hospital costs are paid by Medicaid and Medicare, I think if you allowed a proliferation of this very expensive technology I think you are going to see in the long run rates go up and I think it is going to be counterproductive. I'm very much in favor of keeping the current Certificate of Need laws."
Proliferation of technology?! What on Earth is he talking about? In what alternate universe does limiting supply lower costs?
With everyone else trying to find ways to lower healthcare costs, it would seem logic might trump partisanship and we could repeal Kentucky's CON laws. Richards is expected to announce a run for Governor soon. Is this the kind of rhetoric we can expect from him between now and May?
