While opinions differ on North Carolina’s certificate of need (CON) laws, I wanted to share a personal story that may resonate with others seeking affordable healthcare — and coming up short.
About a year ago, my son needed a shoulder MRI. As I began shopping around, I was dismayed by the high prices I found locally. The sticker shock inflated to the $5,000+ range for this simple image at a few facilities. Albeit lower in cost, even the independent radiology practices were still too expensive. Then I recalled that in 2023, the South Carolina legislature unanimously repealed its certificate of need law — a bold move to open up health care competition.
I thought to myself, “Why am I not looking for this MRI just over the border in South Carolina? Surely, the CON repeal has had time to drive prices down there.” Turns out my instincts were right. I found an MRI of the shoulder without contrast at a lovely, independent orthopedic practice in Fort Mill, South Carolina, for $330 cash…