30 March 2021: How NY DOH Officials Looked Out for Número Cuomo in COVID Testing Scandal

How New York health officials were told to prioritize coronavirus testing of people connected to Andrew Cuomo

This report uncovers how Governor Cuomo's scandal involving giving preferential access to COVID testing to family members and those with connections to the governor's office worked:

Seven individuals with firsthand knowledge of testing practices said that some people with access to power were able to largely bypass the overburdened resources available to the general public when the pandemic first gripped New York last year.

The individuals — who spoke at length to The Washington Post on the condition of anonymity out of fear of retribution by Cuomo’s office — described the behind-the-scenes operations and their feelings of discomfort with a system that they believed at times prioritized political connections over medical need.

State officials strongly disputed that people were given special treatment because of ties to Cuomo. They said priority testing was available to many New York residents involved in the state’s pandemic response, as well as members of the general public, such as those who were at high risk.

But people familiar with the efforts said they were also told to treat individuals differently because of their connections to the governor.

During the early frenetic weeks in March 2020, officials working at testing sites rapidly assembled a system that gave special treatment to people described by staff as “priorities,” “specials,” “inner circle” or “criticals,” according to five people, including three nurses, who described how resources were redirected to serve those close to the governor and other cases that were fast-tracked.

This report provides a good indication of what life would be like under a single-payer health care system, where decisions on how to provide limited resources to individuals are based on political determinations rather than medical needs.