Republicans in the State Senate are calling for an independent investigation into the state’s handling of COVID-19 in nursing homes, saying an ongoing probe from the state Health Department and Attorney General’s Office wouldn’t be impartial.
Senate Republican Leader John Flanagan said in a statement Wednesday that they’d also like to see speciality long-term care facilities for nursing home residents with the disease.
“We know that allowing COVID into a nursing home is an invitation for it to spread, and we need to make sure that we take necessary steps to protect residents,” Flanagan said.
New York took steps at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic to limit the spread of the disease in nursing homes, including heavy restrictions on visitors to those facilities. Nearly 5,000 people have died from the disease in nursing homes, according to state data.
An investigation has since been launched into the state’s nursing homes by the state Department of Health and the Attorney General’s Office. That inquiry will look into whether nursing homes acted negligently in response to the disease, or broke the law.
Nursing homes that are found to have acted inappropriately could be subject to civil fines and penalties. They could also lose their license, Gov. Andrew Cuomo has said.
Republicans argued Wednesday that, because DOH is involved in regulating nursing homes, it shouldn’t be involved in an investigation into their conduct. The agency didn’t immediately comment on the suggestion Wednesday.
