The CON con

The "con" is in trying to get rid of it. Neil Davis and I have been blogging about this issue over at the Health Care Morass blog. Neil's also written about it in the Republic and the Alaska Health Policy Review.

The free marketeers are at it again, claiming that the answer to rising health care costs, physician shortages, etc., will be solved if we only go to an open, competitive market in facilities services, medical specialties, etc. It's hogwash. The insert taken out in the News-Miner on Sunday by the group, "Alliance for Healthcare in Alaska", was a sneaky, deceptive advertorial that was full of falsehoods and twisted facts. Very, very low ball.

There's obviously a ton of money at stake.

And, of course, the first public hearing on rescinding the Certificate of Need law is in Fairbanks tomorrow at 9 in the morning. On a weekend with 40-below temperatures. They really don't want to hear from much of the public, do they? But, if you're willing and able to get there, here's where you can go testify to the legislature about it:

Saturday, February 9, 9 am
Legislative Affairs Office in the Alaska USA building
1292 Sadler Way, Suite 308, Fairbanks