The legislative push to eliminate or reform CON is front and center as the 2022 session of the General Assembly gets under way. SCOA is actively engaged on the issue and playing a key role in the coalition supporting S 290. Thank you to everyone who has contacted your local Senators. Several Senators have told us they have heard from our members back home.
Status: The Senate took three important votes last week on S 290, legislation as introduced that would eliminate CON requirements:
1) They set the bill for special order, giving it priority status on the Senate calendar every day until it is resolved.
2) By a vote of 31-9, they tabled an amendment backed by the SC Hospital Association that would have established the SCHA compromise proposal as the working document for future debate.
3) As expected, they adopted an amendment that removes nursing homes from the bill, meaning that nursing homes will still require a CON. This amendment was uncontested.
What’s Next: Even though the 31-9 vote was a strong message that Senators agree CON is broken, we may not have the votes for full repeal of CON. When the Senate returns Wednesday, we most likely begin negotiation of a reform bill rather than full repeal. Getting the language right in a reform bill is a lot more complicated than repeal. We continue to advocate for CON repeal while we participate in meetings to support Senator Climer and others in their efforts to obtain meaningful CON reform legislation that benefits patients, your practices, and reduces wasteful costs in the health care system. We will continue to update you as the process progresses. Please let us know if you have additional communication with your Senator.
CON News Coverage:
SCOA Letter to Senators:
Contact Info:
