Author Archives: James C. Sherlock

Blame COPN for Looming Bed Shortages

Posted on March 18, 2020 by James C. Sherlock

The hospital bed shortages cited by Jim Bacon in his post at his online blog Bacon’s Rebellion, “Not Nearly Enough Hospital Beds,“ is a direct outcome of how the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) has administered Virginia’s Certificate of Public … Continue reading →

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The Legal Corruption of COPN

Posted on March 4, 2020 by James C. Sherlock

I have been asked to give examples of the corruption of administration of the Certificate of Public Need (COPN) law and show how it has created and supports regional monopolies. I have chosen as my example COPN Planning District 20 … Continue reading →

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Governance Nightmare: Integrating Hospitals and HMOs

Posted on February 19, 2020 by James C. Sherlock

Delegate Sally Hudson (D-Charlottesville) introduced a terrific piece of legislation this year, HB 1731. Unfortunately, it was killed off in the House Committee on Labor and Commerce, but its worth discussing and working for its revival next year. The bill tackled … Continue reading →

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Lawmakers Coddling Hospital Monopolies

Posted on February 5, 2020 by James C. Sherlock

My last essay, “Runaway Costs and Hospital Monopolies,” discussed the fact that Virginians who get their health insurance at work and through the Affordable Care Act website pay the highest premiums in the country. We traced those costs to a number … Continue reading →

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Runaway Health Costs and Hospital Monopolies

Posted on January 22, 2020 by James C. Sherlock

Healthcare costs are crowding out other spending by citizens and governments. All Virginians know this. Few understand, though, that their elected leaders in Richmond, who are recipients of huge campaign contributions from hospital interests, bear a significant share of the … Continue reading →

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