ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — Four health care systems are competing for approval to add 92 hospital beds in western North Carolina. But why does the state have to choose just one?
That’s the question from a viewer named David, who wrote to Ask 13 after learning about the competition involving Mission Health, Novant Health, UNC Health and AdventHealth.
“We can use all four in this area. It makes no sense to restrict the applicants. Let them all build. Great for competition and a choice of better care,” he wrote.
The answer comes down to a decades-old North Carolina law: the Certificate of Need process.
HEALTH CARE GROUPS COMPETE FOR 92 ACUTE CARE BEDS IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA
What is a Certificate of Need?
North Carolina requires healthcare providers to receive state approval before adding certain hospital beds, facilities, or services.
The state first began requiring approval for hospitals to add beds in 1971. After that law was struck down by the North Carolina Supreme Court, lawmakers reinstated a broader Certificate of Need system in 1978.
The purpose is to prevent unnecessary duplication of healthcare facilities and services and, ultimately, help control healthcare costs.
The North Carolina Division of Health Service Regulation describes the fundamental premise of the law as restricting the unnecessary duplication of existing or approved healthcare facilities.
So, rather than allowing every applicant to build, the state evaluates the community’s needs and determines whether additional healthcare capacity is justified.
BUNCOMBE COUNTY BACKS UNC HEALTH, ADVENTHEALTH IN COMPETITION FOR 92 NEW HOSPITAL BEDS
Why are the four health systems competing?
For this project, 92 hospital beds have been designated for western North Carolina. Mission Health, Novant Health, UNC Health and AdventHealth are all seeking approval to receive those beds.
Because of the Certificate of Need process, the state will determine which proposal or proposals, depending on the specific review, best meet the community’s identified healthcare needs.
The process is designed to consider factors such as the need for additional beds, duplication of existing services and how healthcare resources are distributed.
A decision on the Certificate of Need is expected by the end of 2026. We’ll continue following the process and will update you when the state makes its decision.
Have a question for us? Email us at Ask13@wlos.com.