repealing COPNs for a specific service. Senate Bill 337 passed the Assembly as a compromise measure agreed to by physicians, who conducted an all-out fight to repeal COPN, and hospitals who fought to keep COPN. The legislation, which still must be signed by the Governor, requires a transition to eliminate COPN. The transition will begin on July 1, 2001 and must be completed by July 1, 2004. Between now and the 2001 General Assembly Session, the Joint Commission on Health Care has been charged with developing the transition plan, with assistance from the Departments of Health, Medical Assistance Services, and Health Professional to end COPN. Of course, physicians would like COPN to be repealed so they can purchase technology and offer new services. Hospitals argue that if their profitable services are deregulated and significant competition exists for these services, hospitals will be unable to continue to provide the indigent care and unprofitable services that they must provide under state law. I believe there are several issues in the COPN repeal argument. First of all, the COPN process has not met all of its goals. Mostly, it has not controlled costs. The repeal of COPN legislation would promote competition and drive down the costs of medical care for consumers. But we must look at what this would mean for our hospitals and long-term care facilities. Hospitals and nursing homes receive .72 from Medicare and Medicaid for every dollar they spend. Many times, these facilities are also located in unprofitable rural areas. If the COPN legislation was repealed these facilities would lose many profitable consumers to lower cost private facilities. This could mean that hospitals would have to close their doors since they are would be unable to recover from expenses they incur by providing care that is required by law to the indigent. This would also have negative effects for rural areas. If the COPN process was repealed, ind...
