When the General Assembly adjourns sine die, they’re done for the session with no set date to reconvene. This ends the current legislative session. Reviving a bill in South Carolina after a sine die resolution is rare, but lately, the Governor and House and Senate leadership seem to be considering breaking this precedent to revive S915.
S915 aims to create the Executive Office of Health and Policy in South Carolina, led by a Secretary. (YIKES, A HEALTH CZAR IN THE MAKING.) This office will oversee state health services, share data among health departments, and develop a comprehensive State Health Services Plan. The claim: it will enhance efficiency and resource allocation. (Why not get rid of or downsize the ineffective agencies?)
Let’s take a step back. S915 stems from S399, the DHEC split that’s costing taxpayers millions by creating two state agencies from one. (Yeah, because what we really needed was more government.) S399 laid the groundwork for S915. This is what happens when Republicans pass bills paving the way for more laws and more government. S399 bloomed into S915, and then came this report by the Boston Consulting Group. This report is what Republican legislators are using to justify the need for S915.
Pause: Check out the Boston Consulting Group. They love to support LGBTQ+ inclusion in the workplace. (How lovely!) Oh, and isn’t this precious—they’re strong supporters of "Gender Equity Advances Us All: Equity Empowers!" Aren’t we lucky to have used this consulting firm to analyze South Carolina's disastrously managed healthcare system? OH YEAH! Because who better than a liberal company to give us the perfect solution for this LEFTIST mess? Here is another gold nugget found in this report: the words "equitable" and "equitable access" appear more than twice.
We reviewed the Boston Consulting Group report supporting S915, the Health Czar bill. Here’s what we found: The report focuses on supposedly improving state-run health (government) agencies by adding (drum roll) more government oversight.
Red FLAGS noted in the BCG Report:
Strengthening state-run services will reduce competition. Without competition, private facilities have no reason to improve their quality of care. Brilliant strategy, right?
Centralizing state healthcare means more regulations. This creates barriers for private healthcare providers, making it harder for new facilities to open and existing ones to expand. Because what we really need is more red tape, right?
Consolidating state-run facilities will draw healthcare professionals to the public sector, leaving private facilities short-staffed. This means longer wait times and lower quality care. Great news if you love waiting longer for worse service.
Governor in charge? Why should the Governor run healthcare? What qualifications does he have? If he messes up, do we just wait four years to vote him out? Not exactly efficient.
The government should not be running healthcare.
Make no mistake: S915 is about centralizing and expanding state control over healthcare. We need solutions that empower the private sector and keep healthcare accessible, affordable, and high-quality for all South Carolinians.
Call to Action:
South Carolinians are already struggling with terrible healthcare access and rising costs. Bill S915 will make things worse by centralizing healthcare and ignoring individual needs. Think about the people in our communities who already can't get the care they need. This bill will make it even harder. South Carolina deserves a healthcare system that respects individual needs and privacy, supports innovation, and is managed efficiently.
South Carolina's healthcare system has many problems that S915 won't fix. These include a lack of free-market healthcare, limited access to specialized care, few alternative healthcare options, a shortage of small to midsize hospitals, and not enough private diagnostic imaging facilities. Plus, we have a critical shortage of doctors and healthcare professionals that merging state agencies won't solve.
Better Solutions:
STOP promoting and funding government-controlled healthcare.
Foster competition by reducing regulatory barriers.
Support innovation in the private sector.
Get rid of the Certificate of Need laws now, not in 2027.
Remove non-compete clauses that block healthcare professionals from working where they’re needed.
Create local health boards to make decisions based on community needs. They can be more flexible and responsive than a centralized system.
Support community-led health programs that use local knowledge and resources for better results.
Cut down on unnecessary regulations to reduce the burden on healthcare providers. This will make it easier for new providers to enter the market and for existing ones to grow.
Reduce regulatory barriers that prevent alternative healthcare systems from thriving. Encourage more options for everyone.
Why are we wasting time on S915? Why aren’t we addressing the real issues, like lack of access, shortage of specialized care, and not enough doctors? South Carolinians are suffering now. Passing a bill that grows government and centralizes power insults everyone in this state dealing with illness and our terrible healthcare.
Take Action Now:
Contact your local representatives and oppose Bill S915. Demand healthcare policies that prioritize individual care, protect private practices, ensure data privacy, and provide fiscal responsibility. Let’s stop unnecessary centralization and keep healthcare efficient and responsive for all South Carolinians.
For more details, view the bill here.
Find your legislator here. Don’t hesitate to also look them up on social media and message them there, or better yet, tag them in a post about this.
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