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ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Anchorage's two largest hospitals are appealing the state's recent allocation decisions in hopes of building more emergency room beds in the next several years.
Providence Alaska Medical Center and Alaska Regional Hospital have both filed appeals accusing the Department of Health and Human Services of making groundless assumptions about costs and the best interests of the public, according to the Alaska Dispatch News (http://bit.ly/1DZWPQ9).
Too many emergency room beds can push up health care costs, so Alaska, like most states, has laws limiting the capacity of emergency rooms.
In July, Providence Alaska received permission to add eight beds, six fewer than it requested. At that time, department commissioner Valerie Davidson wrote that she did not allocate more treatment rooms because she did not want to concentrate the city's emergency services at one location.
Alaska Regional's proposal to add satellite medical facilities in Eagle River and South Anchorage was denied so as not to drive up costs by treating non-life-threatening ailments such as ear infections and fevers at emergency room costs.
The appeals will be heard an administrative law judge, who will make a recommendation to Davidson. Jared Kosin, executive director at the department's Office of Rate Review, said Davidson will make a final decision. Any further appeals would be made in court.
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Information from: Alaska Dispatch News, http://www.adn.com
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