>> MARTHA: WE HAVE FOCUSED A LOT
ON THE STORY ON ONE OF THE MOST
IMPORTANT AND LARGEST PARTS OF
THE TRAGIC CORONAVIRUS DEATHS
THAT HAVE HAPPENED IN AMERICA.
YES, WE KNOW THAT THE VIRUS
ATTACKS THE OLD PRIMARILY, BUT
THE LEVEL OF ACCEPTANCE AND IN
SOMEWHERE CASES, WHAT APPEARS TO
HAVE BEEN OUTRIGHT NEGLIGENCE
THAT LED TO SOME OF THESE
DEATHS, CERTAINLY CRIES OUT FOR
SOME INQUIRY AND SOME
INVESTIGATION.
SO IT’S EASY TO SEE THAT
SOMETHING IS JUST NOT RIGHT AND
SOME OF THESE SITUATIONS AND WE
OWE THESE PEOPLE, THE VETERANS
AMONG THEM AND THEIR FAMILIES,
SOME ANSWERS THAT ARE BETTER
PERHAPS THAN THIS ONE THAT WE
ARE TODAY FROM THE GOVERNOR OF
NEW YORK.
HE WAS ASKED ABOUT THE 139
NEW YORKERS IN LONG-TERM CARE
WHO DIED, AND I WAS JUST ON
SATURDAY.
HERE’S WHAT HE SAID.
>> FAMILIES WHO SUFFERED LOSSES
INSIDE NURSING HOMES AND THEY’RE
LOOKING FOR ACCOUNTABILITY AND
THEY’D LIKE TO SEE JUSTICE.
>> HOW DO WE GET JUSTICE FOR
THOSE FAMILIES WHO HAD 139
DEATHS HE MET WHAT IS JUSTICE?
WHO CAN WE PROSECUTE FOR THOSE
DEATHS?
NOBODY.
OLDER PEOPLE, VULNERABLE PEOPLE,
ARE GOING TO DIE FROM THIS
VIRUS, AND THAT IS A FACT, AND
THAT IS NOT GOING TO CHANGE.
>> MARTHA: ABOUT 5600
NEW YORKERS DIED IN NURSING
HOMES OF COVID-19 AND NEW
NATIONWIDE DATA SAYS THAT 41% OF
ALL THE DEATHS IN AMERICA FROM
THIS VIRUS ARE TRACED TO NURSING
HOMES OR ASSISTED LIVING
FACILITIES, 41%.
JOINING ME NOW AS A PERSON IN
CHARGE OF OVERSEEING THESE
FACILITIES AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL,
ADMINISTRATOR FOR THE CENTERS
FOR MEDICARE AND MEDICAID
SERVICES, ALSO A MEMBER OF
COURSE OF THE WHITE HOUSE
TASK FORCE ON THE VIRUS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE
TONIGHT, GOOD TO HAVE YOU WITH
US.
>> YEAH, THANKS FOR HAVING ME,
GOOD TO SEE YOU.
>> MARTHA: SO GOOD TO SEE YOU.
WHAT’S YOUR REACTION?
YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU HEAR THAT
FROM GOVERNOR CUOMO, AND I’VE
SPOKEN TO FAMILIES WHO HAVE LOST
LOVED ONES IN THIS SITUATION.
THAT IS NOT A STATEMENT FROM HIM
THAT IS GOING TO GIVE MANY OF
THEM A WHOLE LOT OF COMFORT.
>> MARTHA, EVERY LIFE IS
PRECIOUS, AND THAT’S WHAT THIS
ADMINISTRATION STARTED VERY
EARLY IN MAKING SURE THAT WE
WERE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO
KEEP NURSING HOME RESIDENTS
SAFE.
THEY DESERVE THAT.
OLDER INDIVIDUALS HAVE BEEN
TAKING CARE OF US THEIR WHOLE
LIVES AND THEY DESERVE TO BE
RESPECTED AND TO BE PROTECTED.
>> MARTHA: SO I GUESS WHEN YOU
SAY YOU’VE BEEN DOING EVERYTHING
THAT YOU CAN, I’M CURIOUS WHAT
THAT EXACTLY MEANS.
SO WHAT HAVE YOU, FROM THE
FEDERAL PERSPECTIVE, MANDATED.
DID YOU MANDATE TESTING RIGHT
AWAY?
DID YOU SEARCH TESTS TO ALL OF
THE FACILITIES AROUND THE
COUNTRY RIGHT AWAY TO THAT’S ONE
QUESTION THAT I HAVE.
WHAT DID YOU MANDATE IN TERMS OF
TESTING, AND WHEN?
>> SO STARTING FROM A BROAD
OVERSIGHT, FROM THE VERY
BEGINNING WE RECOGNIZE THAT
NURSING HOMES THAT WERE GOING TO
BE VULNERABLE AND WE PUT OUT A
SERIES OF GUIDANCE AND
RECOMMENDATIONS TO OUR NURSING
HOMES.
WE ALSO HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH
STATE AND LOCAL OFFICIALS, JUST
TO LEVEL SET THE RESPONSIBILITY
OF OVERSIGHT OF BOTH THE FEDERAL
AND STATE GOVERNMENT.
ON THE FEDERAL LEVEL WE SET THE
GUIDELINES IN THE STATES ARE
ACTUALLY BOOTS ON THE GROUND,
THEY DO THE INSPECTIONS AND ARE
RESPONSIBLE FOR LICENSING.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS --
=SPEEONE SO YOU ONLY DO -- LET ME
JUST CLARIFY THAT, YOU WOULD SAY
THAT YOU DO NOT HAVE ANY ABILITY
TO MANDATE ANYTHING THAT HAPPENS
AT THESE FACILITIES, IS THAT
WHAT YOU’RE SAYING?
YOU CANNOT MANDATE ANYTHING AT
THEM?
>> THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SETS
REQUIREMENTS, AND SO IF A
NURSING HOME IS IN VIOLATION OF
ANY OF THOSE REQUIREMENTS, THE
SAVAGELY SANCTIONS OR MONETARY
PENALTIES AND WE ALSO HAVE THE
ABILITY TO REVOKE MEDICARE AND
MEDICAID PAYMENTS, BUT THE
LICENSING OF THESE FACILITIES
AND THEIR ABILITY TO OPERATE
RESTS WITH THE STATES, SO IT’S A
JOINT FEDERAL STATE PARTNERSHIP.
>> Martha: SO ONE OF THE
THINGS EFFORT FROM, PEOPLE THAT
I’VE SPOKEN TO IN NURSING HOMES,
IS THAT IN THE BEGINNING THEY
COULDN’T GET THE TESTS THAT THEY
WANTED, THEN THAT THEY GOT THE
TEST THAT THEY WANTED, IT WOULD
TAKE AT LEAST A WEEK TO TURN
AROUND, SO THEY WOULD HAVE
PATIENTS TOGETHER IN THESE
SOMETIMES CLOSE QUARTERS WHERE,
YOU KNOW, THEY’RE WAITING A WEEK
AND AT THAT POINT IT’S TOO LATE
IN THE DISEASE, THE VIRUS HAS
BEGUN TO SPREAD, YOU KNOW,
THROUGHOUT THAT ENTIRE HALLWAY,
SO WHY IS IT -- HAVING SEEN WHAT
WE SAW IN ITALY, WE KNEW THAT
THE FIRST HOT SPOT WAS
WASHINGTON STATE IN THAT HOME
THERE.
WHY WASN’T IT THAT THE BEST
TESTS THAT WE HAD WERE NOT
SURGED TO THESE FACILITIES,
WHICH WE KNEW HOUSED THE MOST
VULNERABLE POPULATION IN THE
WHOLE COUNTRY RIGHT AWAY?
>> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE
CALLED ON WEEKS AGO IS A CALL TO
ACTION FOR STATE AND LOCAL
LEADERS TO EMPHASIZE AND TO WORK
WITH NURSING FACILITIES TO MAKE
SURE THAT THEY HAD ACCESS TO
TESTING.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE DID ON THE
FEDERAL LEVEL WAS TO INCREASE
MEMBERS AND FOR TESTING AND
ACTUALLY FOR THE FIRST TIME PAY
FOR LABS TO GO OUT TO NURSING
HOMES TO COLLECT SAMPLES SO ON
THE FEDERAL LEVEL WITH MADE THAT
RECOMMENDATION, WE CALLED TO
ACTION AND YOU’VE SEEN A
RESPONSE TO THAT.
WE’VE SEEN GOVERNORS ACROSS THE
COUNTRY TESTING THE NURSING
HOMES.
YOU’VE SEEN THAT INCREASE IN
REIMBURSEMENT AND BECAUSE OF
THAT WE ARE SEEING MORE AND MORE
NURSING HOMES BEING TESTED, BUT
TODAY, WE ISSUED GUIDELINES FOR
STATE AND LOCAL OFFICIALS AND
NURSING HOMES ABOUT REOPENING --
>> Martha: PART OF THAT SOUNDS
LIKE IT DECIDED TO STOP SHORT OF
MANDATING ANY OF IT.
I’M LOOKING AT A QUOTE FROM THE
PRESIDENT, HE WAS ASKED IF YOU
WANT TO CONSIDER A NATIONWIDE
MANDATE FOR TESTING AND HE SAID
I WOULD MANDATE IT IF YOU’D
LIKE.
I THINK IT’S AN IMPORTANT THING
TO DO AND WE KNOW THAT
VICE PRESIDENT PENCE HAS TALKED
ABOUT IT TOO BUT AFTER THIS
POINT CAN YOU JUST CLARIFY FOR
ME THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
HAS NOT MANDATED THAT THESE
FACILITIES HAVE PROVIDED THEM
WITH THE ABILITY TO DO SO, IS
THAT A CORRECT STATEMENT?
>> WE PUT THESE RECOMMENDATIONS
AND GUIDELINES FOR STATES AND
FOR THE NURSING HOMES.
WE TALKED TO THE NURSING HOME
ASSOCIATION, THEIR SUPPORTIVE OF
THESE EFFORTS.
GOVERNORS ARE SUPPORTIVE OF
THESE EFFORTS BUT IF WE FELT
LIKE THERE WASN’T COMPLIANCE AND
WE COULD MOVE TOWARDS A
REQUIREMENT, BUT AT THIS TIME WE
FEEL LIKE THE RECOMMENDATION
AROUND TESTING AS A BASELINE, SO
WE NOT ONLY WANT TO TEST THE
RESIDENTS, BUT WE ALSO WANT TO
MAKE SURE THAT THE HEALTH CARE
STAFF AND THAT NURSING FACILITY
IS ALSO TESTED AS WELL, AND
THAT’S GOING TO --
>> Martha: EVERYBODY WANTS TO
MAKE SURE THAT THAT’S WHAT’S
HAPPENING, BUT FROM WHAT I’M
LEARNING LOOKING INTO THIS, IT’S
SPOTTY, SOME PLACES DON’T HAVE
THE TESTING THEY NEED, SOME
PLACES DON’T HAVE THE TESTS THAT
THEY NEED, WITH REGARD TO THE
OTHER QUESTION THAT I HAVE, IN
THE INITIAL SURGE OF THIS, WHEN
WE KNEW THESE WERE THE MOST
VULNERABLE PLACES IN THE WHOLE
COUNTRY AND THEN WE BUILT THESE
FEMA FACILITIES WITH A LOT OF
EXTRA BEDS AND THEN IT WAS, YOU
KNOW, SORT OF GOOD NEWS THAT ALL
OF THE BEDS WERE NEEDED, AND WE
HAVE PICTURES OF ALL OF THESE,
THESE INCREDIBLE FACILITIES THAT
WE HEARD ABOUT AND THEN, YOU
KNOW, APRIL 30TH, YOU HAVE THE
COMFORT IN NEW YORK CITY, WHICH
WAS CONVERTED TO BE A COVID
FACILITY, SAILING AWAY FROM
NEW YORK AT THAT POINT.
WHY WAS -- AND IF THE ANSWER IS
THAT THIS IS NOT A FEDERAL
QUESTION, IT REALLY FALLS TO THE
GOVERNOR, AND I’VE ASKED, YOU
KNOW, NEW YORK OFFICIALS THIS AS
WELL, BUT WHAT TO SAY TO WHY
THOSE INDIVIDUALS WEREN’T TAKING
OUT OF THE NURSING HOMES WHERE
THEY WERE INFECTING PEOPLE ALL
UP AND DOWN THE CORRIDOR AND PUT
IN THESE PLACES THAT WERE SUCH A
WONDERFUL FACILITY THAT WAS
BUILT BY THE ARMY CORPS OF
ENGINEERS?
>> THAT’S RIGHT.
AND MARTHA, IT’S VERY CLEAR,
FEDERAL GUIDELINES MAKE IT VERY
CLEAR THAT WHEN YOU ARE
DISCHARGING A PATIENT FROM THE
HOSPITAL, IS THE OBLIGATION TO
MAKE SURE THAT THAT PATIENT IS
BEING DISCHARGED, WHETHER IT’S
GOING HOME OR GOING BACK TO THE
NURSING HOME, THAT THE NURSING
HOME HAS THE CAPACITY TO DEAL
WITH THOSE PATIENTS, AND SO IF
THE NURSING HOME IS SAYING WE
ARE NOT ABLE TO ACCEPT THAT
PATIENT, THE METS SOMETHING THAT
HAS TO BE TAKEN INTO
CONSIDERATION.
WHEN DOCTORS AND HOSPITALS ARE
DISCHARGING PATIENTS FROM
HOSPITALS, THEY HAVE TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE ARE DISCHARGING THE
PATIENT TO A PLACE THAT CAN
ACCOMMODATE THEIR NEEDS AND IF
THAT PERSON IS STILL FORTUNATELY
FORTUNATELY -- UNFORTUNATELY
TESTING POSITIVE, THEY NEED TO
BE ISOLATED AND WAYS TO MAKE
SURE THAT ISOLATION AND CARE CAN
CONTINUE IN THE MOST APPROPRIATE
SETTING.
>> Martha: WELL, WE KNOW THAT
IN NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY, THE
EPICENTER OF THE VIRUS, BOTH OF
THOSE GOVERNORS INSISTED THAT
THOSE PATIENTS, WHEN THEY WERE
RELEASED FROM HOSPITALS, WENT
BACK INTO THE NURSING HOME AND I
HAVEN’T BEEN ABLE TO GET AN
ANSWER TO WHY THEY WEREN’T SENT
TO THESE OTHER FACILITIES,
BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT ONCE THEY
WENT BACK TO THESE PLACES, THEY
INFECTED OTHER PEOPLE, SOME OF
WHOM ENDED UP DYING AS A RESULT
OF THAT, SO IT’S TRAGIC AND IT
IS, IN MY MIND, ONE OF THE MOST
IMPORTANT QUESTIONS TO BE
ANSWERED IN THIS WHOLE THING.
40% OF THE PEOPLE WE’VE LOST
HAVE BEEN IN NURSING HOMES.