Nursing home
A group of about 80 nonprofit and public nursing homes throughout New York are suing Gov. Kathy Hochul and other state officials over new minimum staffing and spending requirements that took effect this year.
The governor says she will soon announce who will lead the top-to-bottom review.
Advocates for nursing home residents and the union 1199 SEIU held a press conference Friday afternoon to celebrate the rules taking effect.
New minimum staffing requirements for nursing homes were supposed to take effect in January. Hochul has already delayed enforcement three times.
The state comptroller says the New York State Department of Health was unprepared, slow to act and not forthcoming with important data as the pandemic's first waves battered local nursing homes.
The report by the Office of the State Comptroller recommends new accountability measures for low-performing facilities.
In recent weeks, the union has warned that some 33,000 members employed at 250 nursing homes in New York City and the surrounding areas could go on strike if they don’t get the pay raises and benefits.
The report is expected to cover Cuomo’s handling of nursing homes and the potential misuse of state resources, among other subjects.
In New York City and its surrounding areas, more than a dozen nursing homes recorded COVID-19 vaccination rates that rose 20 percentage points or more in just five days.
Some unvaccinated health care workers will lose their jobs on Monday. Others will receive a grace period. Nursing homes could face deep staff shortages.
"It's about being more transparent,” Governor Kathy Hochul said.
A former senior health official says Commissioner Howard Zucker contributed to “an environment of fear,” but some say he deserves a second chance.