AFP Foundation and AFP-Michigan Urge MDHHS to Eliminate Barriers to Health Care Access in Certificate of Need Review

Oct 20, 2025 by AFP

LANSING, MI – On Friday, Americans for Prosperity Foundation (AFP Foundation) and Americans for Prosperity–Michigan (AFP-MI) submitted joint comments to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) calling for the state to substantially deregulate its Certificate of Need (CON) Review Standards. The organizations argue that Michigan’s current CON regime limits access to care, stifles innovation, and drives up costs for patients statewide.

“Michigan families deserve access to affordable, high-quality health care close to home, but outdated CON laws stand in the way,” said AFP-MI State Director Tim Golding. “For years, Governor Whitmer’s administration has failed to fix a broken system that protects special interests instead of patients. These regulations have left communities, especially in rural areas, without enough hospitals, specialists, or treatment options. It is time for Governor Whitmer and MDHHS to stop putting bureaucrats in charge of who gets care and start putting patients first.”

In their filing, AFP Foundation and AFP-MI outline extensive evidence showing that CON regulations:

Reduce access to hospitals and medical services in both rural and metropolitan areas
Increase costs for patients by limiting competition and flexibility
Worsen health outcomes, including higher mortality and readmission rates for heart attacks and heart failure
Delay innovation in advanced cancer and imaging treatments

AFP Foundation’s Permission to Care project has published national research demonstrating that repealing or reforming CON laws leads to more medical facilities, faster care, and better outcomes without sacrificing quality. The organizations’ comment urges MDHHS to take advantage of this evidence and deregulate CON standards to the fullest extent permitted by law.

The organizations’ comment concludes that MDHHS should move toward a more open, competitive health care environment that prioritizes patient choice, affordability, and innovation.