GCXZ

The debate over proton-beam therapy doesn't end at the District's borders.

As we await a decision from District health care regulators on applications from Johns Hopkins Medicine and MedStar Health, Kaiser Health News and NPR gives us this excellent take on the broader issues involving the technology's impact on health care reform, cost-reduction, cancer care and hospital competition.

There are 17 proton therapy centers under development throughout the country, including one in Baltimore, according to the article. When those centers are added to the 11 existing ones, the total open will more than double.

If D.C. approves both the Hopkins and MedStar plans, the District would have two proton therapy centers by 2017.

Most observers expect the D.C. State Health Planning and Development Agency to approve the new centers, which would cost a total of $153 million. But in the article, Kaiser quotes Dr. Ezekiel Emanual, a former adviser to the Obama administration, pooh-poohing the momentum toward approval.

"Neither [Hopkins nor MedStar] should be building," Emanuel tells Kaiser Health News. "We don't have evidence that there's a need for them in terms of medical care. They're simply done to generate profits."

Both Hopkins and MedStar do expect their centers to be highly profitable, but advisory committees and the D.C. agency's staff have said there is a need in terms of medical care,

We could get the agency's decision early as Friday. Stay tuned.

Ben Fischer covers health care and law.