alt Hacker News> it’s illegal to open new hospitals without the permission of the government.
This doesn't seem surprising on its face given that a hospital is, not unreasonably, a heavily regulated entity.
> it’s illegal to open new hospitals without the permission of the government.
This doesn't seem surprising on its face given that a hospital is, not unreasonably, a heavily regulated entity.
“on its face” is doing the heavy lifting here. Banking is highly regulated but you don’t need government permission to open new branches. The food supply chain is heavily regulated but you don’t need government permission to start new restaurants.
The supply of medical care, from operating rooms to doctors themselves, is heavily controlled by the state. There are billions, perhaps trillions of dollars that would flow into reducing the cost and increasing the availability of high quality medical care in the US if this were not so.
The demand is through the roof and will continue to rise. But the right to supply is only handed out to cronies.