Ballad Health COPA hearing move to November

A public hearing for people to voice their comments on Ballad Health’s compliance with its Certificate of Public Advantage has been pushed back to November. The hearing was originally set for July 18, but the Tennessee Department of Health announced Thursday that it had been rescheduled for November 21. Officials say the hearing was moved in order to provide additional sign-up time for those who wish to make public comments at the meeting. Ballad’s COPA governs the health system and was created to make sure the advantages Ballad provides outweigh any negatives created by the merger of Wellmont Health System and Mountain States Health Alliance. The hearing will be in the Student Services Building at Northeast State Community College from 5-8 p.m. Anyone who wants to provide public comment can sign up to speak online with the deadline to sign upset for November 20 at 5 p.m.