> A number of factors spurred states to require CONs in the health care industry. Chief among these was the concern that the construction of excess hospital capacity would cause competitors in an over-saturated field to cover the costs of a diluted patient pool by over-charging, or by convincing patients to accept hospitalization unnecessarily.

That is an incredible misunderstanding of supply-and-demand. Just, wow.

Wow! Did not know about that. So many barriers to free market...