Bill Will Repeal CON Laws for Acute Care Hospitals and Other Critical Services 

NASHVILLE, TN – The Tennessee House of Representatives yesterday passed important legislation to repeal the state’s “Certificate of Need” (CON) requirements for acute care hospitals and other critical healthcare services. The bill paves the way for more choices and better quality care for patients across Tennessee.

Center for Individual Freedom (CFIF) President Jeff Mazzella released the following statement commending the House’s passage of this important legislation: 

“For too long, Tennessee patients have faced lengthy wait times and decreased access to the care on which they rely. Thanks to this legislative action, Tennessee will be able to strengthen rural healthcare while also enabling providers to better respond to increased community need—especially in fast-growing areas of the state.

“Previous reforms to Tennessee’s CON laws have been productive, but the state’s remaining CON requirements have continued to empower unelected bureaucrats over patients and their families—including by enabling them to block new hospitals and other critical services in communities that need them.

“CFIF joins countless Tennessee patients, community leaders, healthcare providers and other local leaders in expressing gratitude that the General Assembly recognized the overwhelming support for CON repeal and championed this critical legislation. Thanks to several years of thoughtful, tireless leadership by Senator Bo Watson (R-Hixon), House Speaker Cameron Sexton (R- Crossville), Representative Johnny Garrett (R- Goodlettsville), and the hard work by many others, Tennessee patients can now look forward to increased access to the affordable, high-quality care they depend on closer to home.” 

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Founded in 1998, the Center for Individual Freedom is a non-profit, constitutional and free-market advocacy organization with more than 300,000 activists and supporters across the nation, including thousands in Tennessee.