Cancer Treatment Centers of America aims to reclassify

Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) at Southeastern Regional Medical Center wants to reclassify itself as a general acute care hospital. This move follows CTCA’s efforts to amend DCH’s Certificate of Need (CON) process during the last legislative session so it could adjust its payer mix to accept more patients from Georgia. Under current CON ruling, CTCA is not allowed to accept more than 35 percent of its patients from in-state."These proposed rule changes are clearly outside current law as, once again, CTCA seeks special treatment for themselves. While we will continue to gather input from the entire Georgia hospital community, expect GHA to vigorously oppose this proposal at each step," said Georgia Hospital Association President and CEO Earl Rogers.

The DCH rejected CTCA’s application amid concerns the facility would siphon paying patients from Emory University, Piedmont Hospital and WellStar Kennestone Hospital, which all have large cancer programs. CTCA’s CON application was later approved with the condition that 65 percent of its patients come from out-of-state to address other hospitals’ concerns about competition. But now the center seeks to do away with that stipulation.

A public hearing will be held concerning CTCA’s attempt to reclassify itself as a general acute care hospital in October, and a final board vote will be held in November, said Community Health Commissioner Clyde Reese.