As N.C. policymakers wrestle with questions surrounding Medicaid expansion and health care access, they are likely to take a closer look at the state’s certificate-of-need law. It forces health care providers to get a government permission slip before opening and expanding most medical facilities, adding hospital beds, providing selected services, or even buying some pieces of medical equipment. A lawsuit targeting CON law restrictions reached the N.C. Court of Appeals last week. Dr. Jay Singleton, a New Bern-based eye surgeon, wants to provide regular outpatient services at his surgery and recovery center. But the CON law limits his ability to serve his patients. This week’s discussion features an update on Singleton’s case, along with a reminder of how North Carolina’s CON regime compares to those in other states.