11 March 2021: Team Cuomo's COVID-Only Nursing Homes Kept Secret From Residents, Families

Advocates Call Out Cuomo For Creating "COVID-Only" Nursing Homes And Not Telling Residents Or Families

This report reveals Governor Cuomo's administration isn't providing explanations for its moving nursing home residents around, either to their families or to the residents themselves.

Vulnerable nursing home residents are being moved between facilities with little notice to families or elected officials, prompting concerns about the Cuomo administration's new strategy to create "COVID-only" establishments. While state officials say the policy is needed to keep hospital beds open for acute-care patients, critics told Gothamist/WNYC the lack of transparency fits a pattern, one that prioritizes nursing homes over patients and their families....

"The public and I, as chair of the Assembly Health Committee, don't really know anything about this," said Assemblymember Richard Gottfried. "It's troubling and it's unfortunately a fairly common situation with the Cuomo administration."

In November 2020, the Cuomo administration created COVID-Only nursing homes as a long-delayed, logical step to prevent the spread of infections in New York nursing homes, with little to no publicity. That was many months after they would have been most useful, and the lack of publicity was because calling attention to it would have focused the media on Governor Cuomo's bigger nursing home scandals....

The "fiscal benefits" motive also makes an appearance in the story:

Beyond poor communication about the new policy, critics told Gothamist/WNYC they were worried about residents who were moved haphazardly to low-rated facilities to make room for Covid patients who have the potential to bring in more funds because Medicaid reimburses homes at a higher rate for their care.

If you ever see businesses or government officials behaving in ways that common sense would indicate is irrational, look for evidence of perverse incentives involving government programs or regulations.