Written by Joel Bobick in the Post-Star
Editor:
I strongly object to your “Boo” given to Rep. Stefanik in your May 26, 2020, edition.
Some accounting of Gov. Cuomo’s actions in forcing nursing homes to accept patients known to have or strongly suspected of having the COVID-19 must take place. Cuomo’s actions and statements since this controversy erupted show that a federal investigation must be conducted, because there is no state investigative agency or body that would conduct a truly independent investigation.
Cuomo has stated that he was following CDC requirements/guidelines. However, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services memo QSO-20-14-NH, dated March 13, 2020, explicitly states that “A nursing home can accept a resident diagnosed with COVID-19 and still under Transmission-Based Precautions for COVID-19 as long as the facility can follow CDC guidance for Transmission-Based Precautions. If a nursing home cannot, it must wait until these precautions are discontinued.”
New York nursing homes had to take COVID-19 patients, despite the Department of Health being notified that many of the homes did not have the ability to prevent the spread of COVID-19. This happened despite the fact that the Javits Center and CARE ship had over 1,000 empty beds available.
Furthermore, after the many deaths caused by this mistaken policy, the state tried mask the death count by only counting those patients who died in nursing homes, and not those nursing home patients who later died in a hospital.
Joel Bobick, Glens Falls
You can read the full letter to the editor at: poststar.com
