LEWISTON - Expansion projects at three Maine hospitals are on hold after running into opposition from the state.

A review unit in the state Department of Health and Human Services has recommended that the commissioner reject applications by Central Maine Medical Center and St. Mary's Regional Medical Center in Lewiston and Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor.

Central Maine Medical Center wants to upgrade and expand its emergency department and lab. St. Mary's wants to expand its operating room, lab and pharmacy. Eastern Maine Medical Center is seeking to expand its inpatient facility.

The hospitals still have a chance to respond to concerns, including questions about costs, before the commissioner makes a final decision.

Officials said they rejected each application for different reasons, though two reasons were consistent: the three hospitals failed to show a need and the proposed projects were too expensive, which would cause health insurance rates to rise too much.