CMS Goes On Defense As Finger Pointing Over Nursing Home Deaths Begins
CMS Administrator Seema Verma says that federal guidelines helped curb the outbreak in nursing homes. But advocates have been critical from the start that the government hasn't done enough to protect vulnerable residents. Nursing homes news comes out of Texas and Oklahoma, as well.
The Associated Press:
Grim Blame Game Over COVID Deaths In Besieged Nursing Homes
A grim blame game with partisan overtones is breaking out over COVID-19 deaths among nursing home residents, a tiny slice of the population that represents a shockingly high proportion of Americans who have perished in the pandemic. The Trump administration has been pointing to a segment of the industry — facilities with low federal ratings for infection control — and to some Democratic governors who required nursing homes to take recovering coronavirus patients. (Alonso-Zaldivar, 6/15)
Modern Healthcare:
Nursing Home Front Line Asks For Congressional Help During Pandemic
Chris Brown, a nursing home worker for the past decade, said there was such a shortage of personal protective equipment at his Illinois facility that he had to don a garbage bag for protection while treating patients. "If I become sick, how can I take care of someone else?" Brown, a certified nursing assistant, asked during a federal briefing by the U.S. House of Representatives' Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis. (Christ, 6/11)
NPR:
Texas Calls In A Strike Force To Try To Slow Coronavirus Spread In Nursing Homes
Some of the worst coronavirus outbreaks have occurred at long-term care facilities that now account for more than one-third of all COVID-19 deaths in America. Some states have taken aggressive actions to slow the spread of the virus among elderly populations and workers in nursing homes. Texas formed a strike force to assess problems at its 1,222 nursing homes. (Burnett, 6/15)
The Oklahoman:
Oklahoma Nursing Homes Can Begin Phased Reopening Monday
Starting Monday, Oklahoma nursing homes can begin a phased approach to allow visitations to resume, Gov. Kevin Stitt's office announced Friday — the same day the state reported its largest single-day increase of new COVID-19 cases. In order to resume family visitations, nursing homes will have to have an absence of COVID-19 for at least two weeks and will need to follow standards on staffing levels, availability of personal protective equipment and local hospital capacity. (The Oklahoman. 6/13)
