The Money Changers
2013-05-22 - by
Republican legislators, for years, have stood up and spoken up for free markets. It’s part of their creed. They don’t like government picking ‘winners and losers.’ But when a group of Republican legislators in Raleigh decided to sponsor a bill to break the hospitals’ monopoly on outpatient surgeries and put the free market to work – it didn’t appeal to the Hospital Association at all.
Right now, before, say, an orthopedic surgeon can do outpatient surgeries in his office instead of in a hospital, he has to get a permit called a ‘Certificate of Need’ from the state. And his chances of getting that certificate are slim to none.
Now hospitals, naturally, believe ‘Certificates of Need’ are a good thing – they say they protect consumers, prevent duplication, and hold down medical costs.
But those free-market-loving Republican legislators disagreed – they concluded what ‘Certificates of Need’ really did was grant the hospitals a monopoly by limiting their competition. So they introduced a bill that would let doctors do outpatient surgeries without getting a state permit.
As far as the hospitals were concerned, that crossed the line – so they came out swinging, setting up a website and running ads defending ‘Certificates of Need.’ They also dispatched lobbyists to the General Assembly to show legislators the error of their ways. And, when the smoke cleared, the legislators’ free market bill ended up in the elephant’s graveyard of legislation – a study commission.
Afterwards, commiserating with a legislator serving his first term, an old hand in the General Assembly said, Well, now you’ve seen how government works first hand. The younger legislator bit his lip, shook his head wryly, and said, Yep. And it sure looks like the money changers have gotten inside the Temple.
The Money Changers
2013-05-22/
Republican legislators, for years, have stood up and spoken up for free markets. It’s part of their creed. They don’t like government picking ‘winners and losers.’ But when a group of Republican legislators in Raleigh decided to sponsor a bill to break the hospitals’ monopoly on outpatient surgeries and put the free market to work – it didn’t appeal to the Hospital Association at all.
Right now, before, say, an orthopedic surgeon can do outpatient surgeries in his office instead of in a hospital, he has to get a permit called a ‘Certificate of Need’ from the state. And his chances of getting that certificate are slim to none.
Now hospitals, naturally, believe ‘Certificates of Need’ are a good thing – they say they protect consumers, prevent duplication, and hold down medical costs.
But those free-market-loving Republican legislators disagreed – they concluded what ‘Certificates of Need’ really did was grant the hospitals a monopoly by limiting their competition. So they introduced a bill that would let doctors do outpatient surgeries without getting a state permit.
As far as the hospitals were concerned, that crossed the line – so they came out swinging, setting up a website and running ads defending ‘Certificates of Need.’ They also dispatched lobbyists to the General Assembly to show legislators the error of their ways. And, when the smoke cleared, the legislators’ free market bill ended up in the elephant’s graveyard of legislation – a study commission.
Afterwards, commiserating with a legislator serving his first term, an old hand in the General Assembly said, Well, now you’ve seen how government works first hand. The younger legislator bit his lip, shook his head wryly, and said, Yep. And it sure looks like the money changers have gotten inside the Temple.