WRAL reports that the NC Supreme Court on Friday ordered a trial for a case that has enormous implications with regard to the monopolies granted to corporate hospital systems in the state of North Carolina.
The main vehicle for their de facto monopoly status is the certificate of need law in our state. This law limits competition by making the state the arbiter over whether certain health care facilities can be built in a given location. The hospital systems for decades have behaved as if they are entitled to be protected from competition.
This is a very big deal; and will be interesting to follow. Perhaps the court can justify getting rid of this law. After all, our political class has been too conflicted to do so. It is clear that something must be done to address the enormous degree to which the hospital systems covet control of the health care marketplace; and use their monopoly power to exert that control.
From under the grandstand you can see more butts( -:
Plenty of butts in the hospital industry, Fred.
“…our political class has been too conflicted to do so…” You are probably being too generous, Triad, in using the word “conflicted” rather than “bribed” or “bought off”.
CON is a little window into the fascist/corporatist character of US medical-industrial complex.
You are right, Healey, that our political class has been purchased by the hospital industry here in NC. And you are also right to label it is fascism or corporatism. There is also an element of cronyism. In many towns and cities, the hospital system is the biggest employer.