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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowImagine if lawmakers decided to ban all new home construction, citing too many vacant houses around the state. Or put a ban on new car dealerships so there wouldn’t be so much competition. Maybe lawmakers don’t want any more grocery stores or shopping centers. After all, Indiana has plenty of vacant storefronts.
That may seem far-fetched, but it’s the premise [Jan 20] behind a bill that would put a five-year ban on new construction of nursing homes—both private pay and Medicare—and Medicaid-funded.
The bill, authored by Republican Sen. Patricia Miller, passed the Senate Health Provider Services Committee by an 8-4 vote Jan. 15.
Advocates—including many nursing home developers—say there are now enough nursing homes. In essence, they want to thwart any more competition.
We need to understand that with competition comes improved care and more choice. Private investment and development helps spur economic development and leads to job creation. Now is not the time to ban building of nursing homes or any other building. Leave those decisions to local communities.
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Jason Shelley,
executive director, American Institute of Architects Indiana
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