How Repealing Certificate of Need Laws Transformed Healthcare in South Carolina

For more than 40 years, South Carolina’s certificate of need law gave powerful hospital systems the ability to block competitors and limit patient access to care. But in 2023, that changed. In this episode of American Potential, host David From is joined by South Carolina State Senator Wes Climer and Candace Carroll, Director of Public Affairs for Americans for Prosperity–South Carolina, to discuss how repealing the law is already improving lives across the state. Senator Climer shares the eye-opening story of a local oncologist whose attempt to expand cancer treatment was crushed by a hospital executive using the law to shut out competition. Candace shares her own experience navigating long wait times for her daughter’s autism diagnosis—and how this broken system motivated a statewide grassroots campaign to demand change. Together, they explain how repealing the certificate of need law has unleashed billions of dollars in healthcare investment, reduced wait times, and expanded access to care in both rural and urban communities. Even the law’s former defenders are now praising the freedom to innovate and grow. This is a story of leadership, community activism, and the power of removing government barriers to unlock opportunity and save lives.