Certificate of need

A certificate of need (CON), in the United States, is a legal document required in many states and some federal jurisdictions before proposed acquisitions, expansions, or creations of facilities are allowed. CONs are issued by a federal or state regulatory agency with authority over an area to affirm that the plan is required to fulfill the needs of a community. The concept of the CON first arose in the field of health care and was passed first in New York in 1964 and then into federal law during the Richard Nixon administration in 1972. Certificates of need are necessary for the construction of medical facilities in 35 states and are issued by state health care agencies: