Opinion ID: 2014857
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 12

Heading: Lincoln General and Bryan

Text: With regard to Lincoln General and Bryan, Gramercy argues that it was held to a different standard of need than Lincoln General or Bryan. The CON regulations state, The applicant [for a CON] must establish that there is an unmet need for health care services for a specific population. 182 Neb.Admin.Code, ch. 2, § 005.01A (1983). Gramercy argues that when the Department assessed the need for Gramercy's proposed addition, the Department used different numbers to calculate the need for Gramercy's proposed addition than those used to calculate the need for Lincoln General's and Bryan's recent additions. Both Lincoln General and Bryan are located in Region 2 and applied for and were granted CON's shortly before Gramercy applied for a CON. While we do not endorse the Department's use of different figures in calculating the need for Gramercy's proposed addition, the Department's act is of no legal consequence on the facts of this case, because regardless of need, Gramercy failed to meet other criteria, detailed above, necessary for the Department to grant Gramercy a CON. That is, regardless of the Department's conduct with respect to the provision of figures for Gramercy's use in its effort to establish unmet need, Gramercy's application failed because it did not meet other criteria, including a failure to demonstrate that the project was the least costly of alternatives and that the project was financially feasible for the life of the assets.