Initiative to repeal hospital Certificate of Need rules stymied

Gov. Sarah Palin frightened Alaska hospitals when she proposed repealing Certificate of Need regulations that many say help them stay in business. Palin’s legislative allies, however, were unable to get floor votes in either the House or Senate this year.

The defeat of CON repeal is good news for Bartlett Regional Hospital and others around the state who feared it would allow their most profitable services to be lost to new competition, and threaten their ability to provide emergency room and other critical services that don’t pay for themselves.

“We’re very pleased that repeal of CON didn’t make it through,” said Shawn Morrow, CEO of Bartlett Regional Hospital in Juneau.

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