ATLANTA — State Representative Rick Jasperse (R–Jasper), Chairman of Special Rules Committee and member of the House Health and Human Services Committee, today expressed concern over Cancer Treatment Centers of America’s (CTCA) bid to the Department of Community Health (DCH) to reclassify itself as a general acute care hospital.
“This is a clear attempt by Cancer Treatment Centers of America to evade the legislative process and the authority invested in us by the voters of this state. We have laws in place to secure healthcare access for all Georgians, and CTCA should stand subject to the same laws as every other organization,” said Rep. Jasperse. “In 2013, a legislative study committee found and reported to the General Assembly that a CON was necessary to protect the health and well-being of our citizens. There are legislative remedies to deal with this type of situation, but I hope that the DCH board makes the right decision before then.”
In August 2015, the DCH approved CTCA’s request for a rule change from the Department of Community Health which would allow the hospital to reclassify itself as a general acute-care hospital and administratively grant the hospital a CON license without going through the standard legislative process. Typically, the CON process requires that hospitals in Georgia go through the legislature to gain approval.
DCH gave tentative approval to CTCA on September 10, 2015 and will hold another public hearing on October 13, 2015 at the Department of Community Health board room. A final DCH board vote on the proposal is scheduled for November 12, 2015.
Representative Rick Jasperse represents the citizens of District 11, which includes portions of Gordon, Murray, and Pickens counties. He was elected into the House of Representatives in 2010, and currently serves as the Chairman on the Special Rules Committee. He also serves on the Appropriations Subcommittee on Education and the Agriculture & Consumer Affairs, Health & Human Services, Human Relations & Aging, and Public Safety & Homeland Security committees.
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