September 8, 2021 – The North Carolina state House passed a bill in late August to modify the state’s certificate-of-need (CON) laws by raising the dollar thresholds on healthcare projects that trigger a review by state regulators. The House approval follows state Senate approval earlier this year and sends the bill to the desk of North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper.
The measure in North Carolina would allow healthcare facilities to move forward with projects and purchases without having to go through a regulatory review process.
Currently, certain projects or equipment purchases trigger a review if they exceed a certain price tag. For new major medical equipment, the threshold would increase to $2 million from $750,000. For capital expenditures for new services, the threshold would increase to $4 million from $2 million.
The bill also requires certificate of need holders to initiate construction on new projects within four years or the CON expires.