Alacare: Alacare's plan for new facility faces opposition from Optum

Two Birmingham hospice care providers are looking to establish inpatient facilities in Jefferson County, but a Minnesota-based provider that beat them to the punch is contesting those plans. According to the State Health Planning and Development Agency, Alacare Home Health and Hospice has filed a certificate of need for a $6.8 million, 14-bed inpatient facility that's planned for Hoover, and Hope Hospice has requested to build a $1.6 million, 10-bed inpatient facility in Gardendale. But Optum Palliative…