After Florida did away with the certificate-of-need requirement to build new hospitals in 2019, healthcare companies announced plans to build at least 65 hospitals from 2020 to 2022, KFF HealthNews reported April 26.
In comparison, from 2016 to 2018 Florida approved 20 new hospitals. The news comes as Georgia and South Carolina debate similar measures to repeal certificate-of-need laws.
About two-thirds of states still have the certificate-of-need laws. Some hospital groups defend CON laws on the basis that they protect hospitals from competition.