State Health Facilities Council Update - October 24, 2018

The State Health Facilities Council (the “Council”) met on October 24, 2018, and granted a certificate of need (“CON”) to each of the following projects:

• The construction of a 40-bed rehabilitation hospital in Johnson County by Mercy Medical Center and Kindred Healthcare at a cost of $7,508,963.
• The construction of a 40-bed rehabilitation hospital in Johnson County by Encompass Rehabilitation Hospital of Iowa City, LLC at a cost of $26,853,953.
• The construction of a 60-bed nursing facility in Dubuque by BVM-PHS Senior Housing, Inc.

The Council approved eight extension requests and one cost overrun request for projects that previously received CONs.  By a vote of 2-2, the Council declined to take action on a request for rehearing filed by UnityPoint Health—Finley Hospital.  Finley had requested a rehearing of the Council’s prior decision to grant a CON to Mercy Medical Center—Dubuque to acquire a linear accelerator and CT simulator.  

The Council’s next meeting is scheduled for February 20–21, 2019.  In order for an applicant to have its CON Application heard at that meeting, the applicant must file a letter of intent by November 19, 2018, and must file its application by December 19, 2018.