COEUR d'ALENE - Meridian-based Advanced Health Care may take a second look at building a $7 million short-term rehabilitation facility here, if things line up to expedite the licensing process.

"Hopefully, they can time it all so the licensing, certification and demand work out," said state Sen. John Goedde, who spent some time with the licensing division of Idaho Department of Health and Welfare last week.

Goedde met with the leaders of that state agency Thursday after Advanced Health Care made a decision last week to abandon its effort to build the facility.

Robert Dellenbach, vice president of development for AHC, said last week that the company pulled the plug on its project because the president learned it was going to take far too long to obtain federal certification to bill Medicare and Medicaid.

IDHW contracts with the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services to issue those federal certifications, but a spokesperson said last week there is a prioritization process that must be followed. The spokesperson also indicated that lack of personnel in the Health and Welfare office could slow the process down. Estimates were that the licensing could take up to two years, and that, Dellenbach had said, would kill the project.

Goedde said he learned that market demand plays a significant role in the federal process when it comes to prioritizing which facilities receive certification first.

"Because of the number of facilities in Coeur d'Alene, there isn't that much need for another one, so they lose priority," Goedde said Monday. "But Coeur d'Alene is a retirement community and the demand is greater. It's not an issue of whether Coeur d'Alene will need another facility, but just a matter of when."

Nevertheless, Goedde said he expects to see IDHW speed up the process because the agency just received funding for three more employees in that department.

"But they need to be trained in Washington, D.C., before they can certify these facilities," Goedde said. "So that may take a while - but it will certainly help."

On Monday, Dellenbach said AHC is pleasantly surprised by the community effort that is underway to retain the project and the 125 healthcare jobs it could provide.

"I have talked with the mayor and Jobs Plus," he said. "I wish every community had a mayor and Jobs Plus like yours."

Dellenbach said the company is now waiting to see what happens. He said the president of the company, David Nattress, has been involved with the state and Jobs Plus to see what can be done to salvage the project.

"We are very impressed that so many people are working to try and make something happen," Dellenbach said. "If something happens, we would reconsider, but I think that is where we are at so far."