Congressman David Scott Leads Call for Immediate Action to Collect and Publicize COVID-19 Data in Nursing Homes and Long-term Care Facilities

Congressman David Scott (GA-13) has joined 77 of his colleagues in a letter to Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Seema Verma, urging them to collect and publicly report facility-level data on the number of long-term care residents affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The absence of comprehensive federal data risks putting even more lives at risk, especially among older Americans and individuals with disabilities living in nursing homes and long-term care facilities.

Key Takeaways:

• Congressman David Scott and his colleagues have sent a letter to HHS Secretary Alex Azar and CMS Administrator Seema Verma, urging them to collect and publicly report facility-level data on the number of long-term care residents affected by COVID-19.
• The current federal data available is the CDC's March 30th estimate that at least 400 long-term care facilities have positive COVID-19 cases.
• Existing information suggests that over 3,000 nursing home residents have died and at least 2,300 facilities across 37 states have positive cases.
• Long-term care facilities face a critical risk of COVID-19 infection, with approximately 75% of nursing homes cited for infection control deficiencies over the past three years.
• The letter emphasizes the specific vulnerability of older Americans and individuals with disabilities living in long-term care facilities, citing Dr. Nancy Messonnier's statement that people with underlying health conditions and older adults are at high risk for severe disease and death.
• The letter urges HHS and CMS to include facility-level data on long-term care settings and to work together with other agencies to closely monitor and address the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 in congregate living facilities.

Statistics:

• At least 400 long-term care facilities have positive COVID-19 cases, according to the CDC's estimate on March 30th.
• Over 3,000 nursing home residents have died from COVID-19.
• At least 2,300 facilities across 37 states have positive COVID-19 cases.
• 75% of nursing homes have been cited for infection control deficiencies over the past three years.

Sources:

• Letter sent by Congressman David Scott and 77 colleagues to HHS Secretary Alex Azar and CMS Administrator Seema Verma.
• NBC News reporting on the risk of COVID-19 in nursing homes.
• CDC's estimate on March 30th regarding long-term care facilities with positive COVID-19 cases.
• Congressman David Scott's press release about the letter to HHS and CMS.