(a) The Health Services Permit Commission shall evaluate the availability and adequacy of health facilities and health services as they relate to long-term care facilities and home healthcare service agencies in this state.
(b) The commission shall designate those locales or areas of the state in which, due to the requirements of the population or the geography of the area, the health service needs of the population are underserved.
(c) The commission may specify, within locales or areas, categories of health services which are underserved or overserved due to the composition or requirements of the population or the geography of the area.
(d) The commission shall develop policies and adopt criteria, including time limitations, to be utilized by the Health Services Permit Agency in the review of applications and the issuing of permits of approval for a long-term care facility or a home healthcare service agency as provided in this subchapter.
(e) The commission may define certain underserved locales or areas or categories of services within underserved locales or areas to be exempt for specified periods of time from the permit-of-approval requirement.
(f) The commission may set application fees for permit-of-approval applications to be charged and collected by the agency.
(g)
(1) Upon appeal by the applicant or an interested party, the commission shall conduct hearings on decisions by the agency within ninety (90) days of the agency decision. The commission shall render its final decision within fifteen (15) days of the close of the hearing. Failure of the commission to take final action within these time periods shall be considered a ratification of the agency decision and shall constitute the final decision of the commission from which an appeal to circuit court may be filed.
(2) Neither a competitor of a successful applicant for a permit of approval nor any other party shall have the right to appeal the commission's decision to grant a permit of approval.