UK hospital’s request to add 120 beds clears hearing phase; decision now before state officials

The University of Kentucky‘s plan to add 120 beds to its hospital moved forward Friday as no one filed a request for a public hearing on its application for a certificate of need, or license. State officials must rule on the application by Feb. 18.

“State law allows any ‘affected parties,’ defined as anyone who gets
health care in the geographic area served by the hospital, other places
that provide similar care or third-party payers such as health insurance
companies, to request a public hearing to state their reasons for
challenging the application,” Mary Meehan reports for the Lexington Herald-Leader. “The other large hospital chains operating in Lexington did not request a public hearing and had no comment.”

The beds would be added to the hospital’s new tower, which is half empty, and bring its total to 945 beds.