"the certificate-of-need law is narrowly focused on the interests of New Hampshire consumers"

I case you haven't gotten the memo, missy, the "interests of New Hampshire consumers" are what you were elected and paid to protect.

NOT the profits of some out of state (or ANY) corporation.

Marilminda,
Thinking outside the box to attract new buisness to NH. Great job!

Nice job - with yet another unconstitutional bill!!!

You folks must be so proud of yourselves! Since " this bill would potentially exempt certain hospitals from MET, this disparate treatment may be unconstitutional. Under federal law, MET is considered a provider tax and, as such, providers have to be taxed uniformly "

So eager to please ALEC, and hand even more of NH over to outside corporations, you will destroy what's left here.

I am all for increasing the competition in every line of business and also in the public sector because competition generally improves overall quality. However, in the case of CTCA, my only concern is that they are an elitist health care provider. They do not accept or provide any free care which all of the non-profit facilities must do. CTCA will funnel away a number of the patients that have paying insurance leaving the non-profits to fight over a much smaller pool of patients that have solid health insurance. Non-profit hospitals will find it much harder to survive if they do not get a decent mix of commercial insurance patients. CTCA could cannabalize many of the small hospitals in NH that have wafer thin profit margins, and in the end there will be no net increase in jobs as the non-profits close or lay-off personnel. I suppose it really comes down to what side of the fence you are on, if you believe that good health care is a privilege, then you should support CTCA, if you feel good health care is a right, then you should be very concerned about a CTCA setting up shop in NH.

CTCA should only be allowed in NH if they agree NOT to compete for state healthcare money in the future, and if they agree to treat the same percentage of free patients every year, that the other NH hospitals do. Adding them to the mix in NH should be about increasing health care options for NH, then increasing jobs. It is not the state's job to increase CTA's profits.

Thousands of us drive to Massachusetts General Hospital.
The best Hospitals are not in New Hampshire.
The best and the brightest Medical Schools are in Boston Massachusetts.

Why not give people more choices for health care? If this place does not provide quality service, they'll go out of business.
Dartmouth Hitchcock has invested considerably in southern NH (new building off exit 8 in Nashua) and the Boston hospitals are their main competition.

I said

fakie-kinda jobs bills

describing this as a jobs bill is a lie...

and I will not be drawn into personal attacks for your entertainment

@Timothy, obviously, you know very little about how health care is financed. It is NOT the same as opening up a Best Buy or Target. This bill will likely give CTCA an unfair advantage. They also do not play on the same field as non-profit hospitals do. CTCA will cannabalize a significant percent of patients that have solid health insurance and they do NOT provide any free care as do the non-profits. Why should CTCA be treated any differently? They ARE a hospital, I don't care what they say, they ARE still a hospital and should follow the rules (or work to change the rules for everyone, not just for them).

@CancerSurvivor, maybe this will end up being a net increase in jobs, I am not against restraining CTCA from doing business in NH. I AM against giving them any special treatment or advantages in the marketplace. If the Certificate of Need process is too restrictive then Re Garcia should work to CHANGE the law, rules are rules, they should not be broken just for CTCA. The article states CTCA did not ask for any special treatment, so why is Rep Garcia sponsoring this bill to give it to them?

Don - good health care is a right? You mean free? OK - please pay $1000 per month for me so I can have a "top-notch" insurance plan. Oh - you don't want to pay for me - I should pay for myself?? Then I can't go on vacation - so you pay it for me - after all its my "right" - I shouldn't have to pay for it!

Don,
First, you said "They [the elderly and poor] should have a RIGHT to access reasonably good health care regardless of their ability to pay." Think about what you are saying! I will paraphrase - you are saying "They have a right to FREE care if they cannot pay." Yes it is not totally "free" - I have to pay for them! But it would be "free" for them. You must admit that is what you mean. Also, note how you state things - first you say "right to access" - that is misleading because then you say "regardless of ability to pay" which means "right to accees free healthcare". Second, notice what you did - you added "reasonably good" before the words "health care". Does that mean you are in favor of giving those who do not have the ability to pay the "budget, no-frills" free healthcare? I hope so. Note this is the center of the issue, as you yuourself implied when you said "As I have said before, if you think access to good health care is a PRIVILEGE, then you should vote to waive all rules for CTCA," THAT is the issue - good versus "reasonably good", or 'deluxe" versus 'no-frills'. The CTCA places will provide deluxe care - the free care will be "no-frills". And if the 'deluxe' care turns out to be medically better, then the budget hospitals will be shamed into providing better care. This is the issue I am concerned with - How good should the free care be? - not "push these unfortunate people aside and watch them die" as you were so mean to say about me.

I would like to make a late entry to one of the comments Mr. Duston made. I am a stakeholder (a.k.a. an employee) of CTCA. You stated that CTCA does not accept Medicare patients, but you are misinformed. Medicare patients are accepted. The only limitations that face Medicare patients are imposed by Medicare itself not by CTCA. The limitations I am referring to are the reimbursements for travel and for food and lodging that are extended to other patients. Medicare does not allow CTCA to reimburse the cost of travel/lodging, nor offer free meals, thereby causing any Medicare patient who wants to seek treatment with us to pay out of pocket for all those items themself. CTCA offers free meals to patients and their caregivers, they offer lodging at drastically reduced room rates, cover patients and caregivers travel expenses and make all the arrangements for them. That is the reason why some Medicare patients are unable to continue treating with us - because they cannot afford the out of pocket expenses. CTCA goes over and above to assist any patient who walks through their doors in any way possible. It really upset me that your opinions were being posted that were not true. Our financial advocates investigate all avenues of assistance to help navigate the process for any patient that needs it. We have a dedicated Appeals Department that will advocate for our patients. Most important, we provide cutting edge technology but especially a culture of hope
for patients.

My family and I have vacationed in New Hampshire. It is a little spot of heaven on earth! I feel like I'm going through a detoxification process being up there, breathing in the air, swimming in the waters. We have friends and family in the New England area. I was jumping out of my seat when a colleague told me about the possibility of New Hampshire being the next site. Until you know more of the facts about the philosophy, and the generosity of CTCA, please keep an open mind and learn more about us. Yes, we have the most cutting edge technology, but high tech hospitals can be cold and dismissive to patients sometimes. Our hospitals have revitalized their surrounding communities but most importantly, because of our "Mother Standard" we provide a culture of hope, respect and support. That is what truly inspires our patients and the stakeholders that work for this truly unique organization.

The Cancer Centers Of America do not offer anything different for treating cancer. They only offer false hope. They lie!!! look at their commercials!!! they make u think they can help you when no one else can. ITS A LIE!!! They prey on the hopeless, people that have been given devastating news... because they are going to make millions of dollars off of you. Because you are going to die in there care. They can not treat cancer any different than any other hospital. What do they offer that is different??? They offer what everyone else does...chemo and radiation. Just because they have yoga classes??? and stupid stuff like that....nothing that actually fights cancer.... Garcia...i pray that this does not come to NH. They told us lie after lie when my mother was a patient there in Philly. It is an awful place!! and the employees know it as well.. It is a big hidden secret that they are a hoax....