Lawmakers want 'independent' probe of N.Y. nursing home COVID-19 deaths

Lawmakers want 'independent' probe of N.Y. nursing home COVID-19 deaths

State lawmakers are calling for an 'independent' probe of COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes across the state.

NOW TO THE NEWYORK NURSING HOMECRISIS.AS THE NUMBER OFNURSING HOMEDEATHS STATEWIDEKEEPS CLIMBING...LAWMAKERS WANT TOKNOW WHAT'SPREVENTINGRESIDENTS FROMGETTING THEPROTECTION THEYNEED.I-TEAM CHIEFINVESTIGATORCHARLIE SPECHT ISON THE STORY.STATE LAWMAKERSARE CALLING FOR AN'INDEPENDENT' PROBEOF COVID-19 DEATHSIN NURSING HOMESACROSS THE STATE.ERIE COUNTY NOWHAS 400 DEATHS FROMCOVID-19, AND LASTWEEK OFFICIALS SAID55 PERCENT OF THECOUNTY'S TOTALDEATH COUNT CAMEFROM NURSINGHOMES.ASSEMBLYMANRICHARDGOTTFRIED/D-MANHATTAN:WE'RE NEW YORKERS,SO WE LIKE TO THINKWE DO EVERYTHINGBEST, BUT ACTUALLYWHEN IT COMES TOPROTECTING PEOPLEIN OUR NURSINGHOMES, WE DO APRETTY SHODDY JOB.INFLUENTIALLEGISLATORS LIKEMANHATTANDEMOCRAT RICHARDGOTTFRIED ARETAKING THE SIDE OFTHE FAMILIES OFNURSING HOMERESIDENTS, WHO SAYCOVID-19 DEATHS INNURSING HOMESNEED TO BEINVESTIGATED BYSOMEONE OUTSIDETHE STATE HEALTHDEPARTMENT.ASSEMBLYMANRICHARDGOTTFRIED/D-MANHATTAN:THE ENFORCEMENT OFHEALTH CODES ANDSAFETY CODES BY THEHEALTH DEPARTMENTHAS FOR DECADESBEEN SERIOUSLYUNDERSTAFFED ANDDONE WITH A VERY LAXATTITUDE.MORE THAN 5,000 OFNEW YORK'S NURSINGHOME RESIDENTSHAVE DIED FROMCOVID-19, LEADINGGOVERNOR CUOMOTO ANNOUNCE A JOINTINVESTIGATION WITHSTATE ATTORNEYGENERAL TISH JAMES.BUT GOTTFRIED SAYSTHAT INVESTIGATIONCREATES ANINHERENT CONFLICT.ASSEMBLYMANRICHARDGOTTFRIED/D-MANHATTAN:SHE IS USUALLY, BYLAW, IN THE POSITIONOF BEING THE HEALTHDEPARTMENT'SLAWYER, ANDSOMEBODY'S LAWYERIS NOT GOING TO DO AVERY GOOD JOB OFINVESTIGATINGTHEMSELVES.GOTTFRIED WOULDLIKE TO SEE ANINDEPENDENTCOUNSEL TAKE ONTHE TASK, WHILEREPUBLICAN SENATORPAT GALLIVAN OF ELMASAYS THE SENATE'SHEALTH COMMITTEECAN HOLD NURSINGHOME HEARINGSTATE SEN.

PATRICKGALLIVAN/R-ELMA:I DON'T THINK THERE'SA PERSON IN THESTATE WHO'S NOTASKING, 'WHAT THEHECK IS GOING ON INOUR NURSING HOMES?'THE STATE HEALTHDEPARTMENT SET THECONTROVERSIALMARCH 25 ORDERMANDATING NURSINGHOMES ACCEPTCORONAVIRUSPATIENTS FROMHOSPITALS, WHICHHAS BEEN BLAMEDFOR CONTRIBUTINGTO THE SPREAD OFTHE DISEASE IN ADULTCARE FACILITIES.GALLIVAN SAYS THEREASONING BEHINDTHAT ORDER SHOULDBE PROBED...AS WELLAS MORE SYSTEMICISSUES THATACCOUNT FOR WHYQUALITY OF CARE INNEW YORK NURSINGHOME REGULARLYRANKS NEAR THEBOTTOM OF NATIONALSURVEYS.STATE SEN.

PATRICKGALLIVAN/R-ELMA:IT'S PROBABLY LIKELYTHAT THE LEGISLATURESHOULD HAVE BEENLOOKING INTONURSING HOMES LONGBEFORE THIS.

BUTCLEARLY THEY NEEDTO BE LOOKED AT: THEOPERATION OF THENURSING HOMESTHEMSELVES AND THESTATE'S OVERSIGHT OFIT.TAG --STILL WAITINGRESPONSE FROMCUOMO'SOFFICE AND STATE AG