New York's Nursing Home Policy Under Fire Amid Covid-19 Outbreak

Strategic Insights -

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo's administration faced criticism over its decision to send over 4,500 patients recovering from coronavirus to nursing homes, with over 5,700 confirmed or presumed deaths in nursing homes due to the virus as of March 22. The state's Department of Health issued a statement saying it followed guidelines from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) about nursing homes admitting people who had Covid-19. Cuomo defended the decision, stating that New York followed the President's agency's guidance, and claimed that the state was de-politicizing the issue.

Key Takeaways:

  • New York's Department of Health sent over 4,500 patients recovering from coronavirus to nursing homes, resulting in at least 5,700 confirmed or presumed deaths in nursing homes due to the virus as of March 22.
  • The state's policy was guided by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) directive on March 13, which stated that nursing homes should admit individuals from hospitals where Covid-19 is present.
  • Cuomo's administration claimed that they were following the President's agency's guidance, attempting to de-politicize the issue.
  • A March 25 order by the state's Department of Health mandated that nursing homes must not deny readmission or admission to people "solely based on a confirmed or suspected diagnosis of COVID-19."
  • Cuomo announced a new policy on May 10, saying a hospital cannot discharge a person who is Covid positive to a nursing home.
  • As of Saturday afternoon, New York had at least 358,154 positive coronavirus cases and at least 28,853 deaths, according to data from the Johns Hopkins University Center for Systems Science and Engineering.

Statistics:

  • At least 5,700 in New York nursing homes were confirmed or presumed dead due to Covid-19 as of March 22
  • Over 4,500 patients recovering from coronavirus were sent to nursing homes
  • At least 358,154 positive coronavirus cases in New York as of Saturday afternoon
  • At least 28,853 deaths in New York due to Covid-19 as of Saturday afternoon
  • The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a memorandum on March 13 stating that nursing homes should admit individuals from hospitals where Covid-19 is present

Sources:

  • The Associated Press (AP)
  • New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's office
  • CNN
  • The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
  • The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
  • Johns Hopkins University Center for Systems Science and Engineering