Posted: | May 12, 2020 10:00 AM |
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From: | Representative Doyle Heffley |
To: | All House members |
Subject: | COVID-19 testing requirements for nursing home admissions |
In the near future, I plan to introduce legislation that would prohibit the PA Department of Health from requiring nursing homes and other long term care facilities to admit COVID-19 patients. Sadly, the coronavirus has severely impacted our senior population in Pennsylvania and that impact is clear from the data surrounding positive cases and deaths associated with long-term care facilities. As of May 10, 2020, the PA Department of Health has reported that approximately 68% of all COVID-19-related deaths have occurred in the state’s long term care facilities. To ensure the safety of our long term care residents in the Commonwealth, my legislation will require that a patient being discharged from a hospital must test negative for COVID-19 prior to admission into a long term care facility. |
Introduced as HB2614