Georgia hospitals may follow SC on CON change | The Augusta Chronicle

COLUMBIA — As South Carolina squirms over its newly suspended regulations on hospital expansions, a spokesman for the Georgia Hospital Association says Georgia could find itself in a similar spot.

Kevin Bloye said there’s a push under way by some physicians to try to weaken the Certificate of Need program in Georgia.

“We expect CON actually to be right at the top our legislative agenda in 2014 in Atlanta,” he said. “It’s a hot-button issue everywhere. This is not unique to South Carolina.”

Nearly three dozen projects seeking a Certificate of Need are listed as under review in South Carolina. The list includes a $77,000 new Home Health Agency for Aiken County, sought by Augusta’s CareSouth HHA Holdings, and the $1.5 million construction of a freestanding endoscopy only ambulatory surgical facility, sought by Aiken’s Center for Colon and Digestive Diseases.

The ability of poor and rural communities to maintain access to health services is one element at stake in the debate.

Under the CON program, which most states use, hospitals must apply for a permit in order to build a new facility, add to an existing one, or purchase expensive equipment.

via Georgia hospitals may follow SC on CON change | The Augusta Chronicle.