South-Carolina
South Carolina’s Certificate Of Need Repeal Is The Largest In Almost Three Decades
This piece was co-authored by Oran Smith, Ph.D. a senior fellow at Palmetto Promise Institute in South Carolina.
Long-time talk show host Joey Hudson had to wait an excruciating three weeks for a hernia operation in South Carolina. To add insult to injury, his friend in Florida who had the same diagnosis was able to receive surgery in just three days.
Why the difference? South Carolina has had barriers called Certificate of Need (CON) laws, which are government permission slips needed to start or expand a healthcare business. These laws restricted how many care options he had. With certain hernias, everyday counts, and the pain can be unbearable. But these laws are difficult to repeal with powerful special-interest groups like hospitals fighting to keep them, and those who would benefit from a repeal—patients—are not organized.
An exterior view of the South Carolina State House, Columbia – construction work first began in 1851 … [+]
South Carolina’s 2023 CON repeal is the most comprehensive in the United States since Pennsylvania’s repeal in 1996. We believe this repeal campaign provides valuable lessons for how to tackle bigger reforms that have concentrated benefits, but diffused costs which impact patient access. Under CON in South Carolina, 30 percent of counties have no OB/GYNs and eight counties have no hospital.
So, how did South Carolina achieve the broad success of a state like Florida without first passing incremental legislation like Georgia, Tennessee, and North Carolina?
It was a series of factors. During the run-up to repeal (2020-23), policymakers benefited from solid research, articulate legislative champions paired with effective governmental relations professionals, powerful grassroots organizing with statewide townhalls, and digital media. At least two transformative intervening election cycles made a difference as well as it resulted in new committee leadership in the South Carolina House that was committed to reform.
Leadership turned to solid research during the debate. In a 2022 review published by Palmetto Promise Institute, Dr. Matthew Mitchell analyzed more than 100 peer-reviewed studies comparing CON states to non-CON states. He found that requiring CON in order to build a healthcare facility or to offer a new healthcare service meant higher prices, less access, and often lower quality.
Therefore, it is high praise that Mitchell rates the recent South Carolina repeal as one of the most significant in the country. Montana’s 2021 full repeal was impressive, but it regulated only nine services and technologies at the time of its reform, whereas South Carolina had one of the most extensive programs in the country, requiring a CON for 18 different services and technologies. Montana (2021), New Hampshire (2106) and Florida (2019) have been the most recent leaders since 2015, but South Carolina’s repeal is more significant than that impressive troika.
A coalition of policy, grassroots, and healthcare professional groups came together in South Carolina to chart a path forward on reform. Americans for Prosperity spearheaded townhalls on the topic, and Convention of States encouraged their supporters to show up to political meetings to talk about CON. The Coalition to Repeal CON, along with the Charleston Medical Society, SC Medical Association, SC Orthopedic Association, along with some insurers and medical device firms, helped build support for repeal. And a number of groups talked to candidates for state office about CON, so they were familiar with the issue before entering office.
Like other recent repeal states, South Carolina leaves CONs in place for nursing homes. And there is a three-year sunset for hospital buildings, but there are exemptions to allow new hospitals to be built in the counties without one now, or for a hospital to relocate if they don’t increase the number of beds.
Hospitals opposed any reform at the start of the session, but when legislators added a repeal of do-not-compete contract clauses to the legislative package that hospitals force medical providers to sign when they are hired to the CON bill, hospitals refocused their attention to defeat that provision. As the debate continued, as a compromise, the do-not-compete contract prohibition was removed as policymaker consensus settled on moving CON repeal.
Another factor was essential to CON repeal: personal relationships. The repeal movement was ultimately successful because legislators heard from patients and providers how they were harmed by lack of access. For example, Dr. Dion Franga of Orangeburg wanted to open a surgery center in a rural area but was delayed for years because of CON. Dr. Rob Brown of Greenville wanted to open a surgery center at his medical practice but was told by hospital administrators: “you can’t exist in private practice in a CON state.” Additionally, COVID only served to emphasize how CON laws do not allow for flexible or competitive responses to community health needs.
South Carolina’s CON repeal shows that with an organized, strategic campaign, even if it takes a few years of tedious research and complex policy discussions, change is possible. The message of healthcare anywhere, or that your healthcare geography should not determine your medical destiny, resonated. Lawmakers eventually saw opposition for what it was: protectionism and anti-patient. Repealing CON barriers is step one towards helping patients like Joey Hudson get timely and affordable care.
“DO NOT APPROACH HIM …”
Agents of the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) are searching for an escaped inmate last seen at a Walmart in Greenville County, according to agency spokesperson Renée Wunderlich.
Billy Reed Fletcher, 43, is said to have escaped from the Carter County Detention Center in Elizabethton, Tennessee, on Thursday, June 20, 2024. Come Monday, June 24, 2024, Fletcher was recorded leaving Walmart Supercenter #641 on White Horse Road in Greenville County, S.C.
“On June 20, 2024, Billy Fletcher … walked off from his work detail at the Carter County Jail,” wrote the Carter County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) on Facebook. “Billy Fletcher was being housed for a Violation of Probation. There is an active warrant for Billy Fletcher for Escape.”
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? #BREAKING: Agents of the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division are searching for an inmate who escaped a detention center in Elizabethton, Tennessee on June 20, 2024.
According to SLED, Billy Reed Fletcher, 43, is believed to be in the Palmetto State as he was last seen… pic.twitter.com/zLXoU7DZ33
— Andrew Fancher (@RealAndyFancher) June 30, 2024
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Authorities describe Fletcher as 6-foot-2 and approximately 230 pounds with brown hair and blue eyes. They encourage anyone with information to contact SLED by calling 803-737-9000 or emailing tips@sled.sc.gov.
They can also submit an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers of Greenville by calling 864-23-CRIME (or 864-232-7463), going online at 23crime.com, or using the P3 Tips Mobile app. An anonymous tip through Crime Stoppers can be worth up to $1,000.
This story may be updated.
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PRESS RELEASE …
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …
Andrew Fancher is a Lone Star Emmy award-winning journalist from Dallas, Texas. Cut from a bloodline of outlaws and lawmen alike, he was the first of his family to graduate college which was accomplished with honors. Got a story idea or news tip for Andy? Email him directly and connect with him socially across Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
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Of all the positions of the South Carolina football roster that need an influx of young talent, defense tackle needs it the most.
Barring an unforeseen redshirt, the Gamecocks only have one defensive tackle on scholarship who has more than two years of college eligibility remaining. Versatile, athletic tackle Caleb Williams (a 4-star prospect out of Virginia) has already committed to the Gamecocks in the class of 2025, but USC will need to bring in at least one more tackle to help fill out the roster, preferably one who has enough size to play nose.
Carolina has been involved with several interior defensive linemen this cycle, and one of them appears ready to shut down his recruitment.
Bryce Jenkins, a former teammate and friend of current Gamecock 5-star freshman Dylan Stewart, named the South Carolina football program among his top-4 schools. He also went ahead and announced that he will make his college decision public next Saturday, July 6th.
Commitment date July 6th pic.twitter.com/DRrfhPD97i
— bryce Jenkins (@bdj215) June 29, 2024
Jenkins’ top-4 includes the South Carolina Gamecocks, Tennessee Volunteers, Maryland Terrapins, and Rutgers Scarlet Knights. Maryland was believed to be the heavy favorite for a good portion of his recruitment, but Shane Beamer’s team has made a push to try to land his commitment.
As a player, Jenkins is a 4-star prospect according to On3, ESPN, and Rivals, and the big fella is listed at 6’4″/6’5″ and between 315 and 335 pounds. A true nose tackle, he has enough size and strength to plug up the middle of the battle on the line of scrimmage, but he is an underrated athlete who moves better than a person his size should have any business moving.
Jenkins took a visit to Columbia earlier this June, and the Gamecocks made a strong impression. He does have some experience playing on the offensive line, as well, but he is expected to be a defensive tackle at the college level.
You can watch some of his film here.
Next. South Carolina Football: In-state Gamecock target now a consensus 4-star prospect. South Carolina Football: In-state Gamecock target now a consensus 4-star prospect. dark
A ride at a historic Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, amusement park turned into a nightmare that left a man paralyzed, a North Carolina couple alleges in a lawsuit.
The couple, identified as Gangia Adhikari and husband Kul Sannyashi, said they visited the Family Kingdom Amusement Park July 23, 2021, and rode the wooden Swamp Fox Roller Coaster.
“While riding the roller coaster as a result of the negligence, carelessness, recklessness, willfulness and wantonness of the Defendants, Plaintiff’s husband suffered an acute injury to his spinal cord which caused quadriplegia,” the lawsuit, filed June 20, alleges.
MINNESOTA AMUSEMENT PARK STAYS OPEN WHILE CLOSING POPULAR RIDE AFTER UNPRECEDENTED FLOODING
Family Kingdom, a seaside amusement park in Myrtle Beach, S.C. (Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
The couple alleged the coaster was “extremely dangerous, more so than a typical roller coaster.”
The lawsuit said Family Kingdom Amusement Park “failed to adequately warn customers” of the dangers the roller coaster could present to riders.
The lawsuit also alleged the amusement park failed to take precautions to ensure the ride would not cause serious injuries to its users.
Attorney Morgan Martin told The Sun News Sannyashi is in “horrible condition.”
“The allegation is that he gets on [the roller coaster] fine and then gets off as a quadriplegic,” Martin told the outlet. “It’s such a sad, sad day for that young man, who is just in horrible condition.”
BEAR EUTHANIZED AFTER INJURING TENNESSEE THEME PARK CONCESSION STAND EMPLOYEE
Sannyashi claimed he had to undergo operations that required expensive medical treatment, hospitalization and intensive care.
A North Carolina man is reportedly paralyzed after riding the popular Swamp Fox roller coaster at Myrtle Beach’s Family Kingdom Amusement Park. (Family Kingdom)
The lawsuit claims he requires 24-hour nursing assistance and suffers from extreme pain, mental anguish and depression due to his permanent injuries.
According to the lawsuit, Adhikari is suing for loss of companionship, fellowship, aid, assistance, company and more.
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Fox News Digital has reached out to the Family Kingdom Amusement Park for comment.
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