19 nursing home policy than he admits: House GOP
- A 2020 order from New York's Department of Health allowed nursing homes to admit COVID-19-positive patients, leading to a surge in deaths.
- The House GOP memo claims this policy resulted in as many as 15,000 nursing home-related deaths, with evidence suggesting Cuomo's administration was directly involved.
- Cuomo's lack of accountability and the alleged manipulation of death reporting have raised significant concerns among lawmakers and affected families.
In March 2020, New York's Department of Health issued a controversial order allowing nursing homes to admit COVID-19-positive patients, which led to a significant increase in nursing home-related deaths. A House GOP memo claims that this policy resulted in as many as 15,000 deaths, with at least 9,000 COVID-19-positive patients being readmitted to these facilities. The memo, based on over 50 hours of testimony from former officials, suggests that former Governor Andrew Cuomo and his administration played a direct role in establishing this policy despite Cuomo's claims of limited involvement. Howard Zucker, the former health commissioner, revealed that the Greater New York Hospital Association requested the nursing home order due to a shortage of hospital beds. This situation was exacerbated by the pandemic's peak, leading to desperate measures to free up hospital space. Cuomo later rescinded the order, citing public concern and agitation among families of nursing home residents. The memo also alleges that Cuomo's inner circle manipulated the reporting of nursing home deaths by changing the methodology for counting COVID-19 fatalities, excluding deaths of nursing home patients who died in hospitals. This change reportedly occurred in May 2020, under the direction of Cuomo's advisers, raising questions about transparency and accountability. In response to the memo, Cuomo's spokesperson dismissed the findings as partisan and lacking evidence. Meanwhile, Rep. Nicole Malliotakis expressed frustration over Cuomo's lack of accountability, emphasizing the pain experienced by families who lost loved ones during this crisis.