A 6 MONTH PUBLIC RECORD OF INCOMPETENCE AND INACTION AT MNHEALTH
- Since Day 1 of the arrival of COVID in Minnesota between 70% and 80% deaths have been in nursing homes and “congregate care” facilities.
- The deaths have been running about 1/3 of the positive test cases. 1 in 3 infections in congregate care results in a death. Approx 4500 COVID cases reported in congregate care by MNHealth and about 1500 seniors in those same facilites have died. Average age of COVID death victom is 83 yrs old. COVID kills THE SAME PEOPLE AS OTHER CORONA VIRUS FLU VIRUSES and those that are the most vulnerable to the flu or pneumonia or COVID are nursing home seniors.
- Of the over 1600 facilities in MN over 120 have had 20 or more COVID infection cases
TIMELINE
- March 13 – Walz declares COVID emergency and assumes dictator powers AND ORDERS NURSING HOMES CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC, ONLY STAFF HAS PATIENT ACCESS.
- April – NO MNHEALTH ACTION NEARLY OF ANY KIND IN NURSING HOMES, BUT WALZ CLOSES THE ENTIRE ECONOMY AND ORDERS EVERYBODY TO STAY HOME WHILE HE IGNORES NURSING HOMES THE ENTIRE MONTH. 80% of the victim pool is ignored to supply hospitals to treat nursing home seniors after they get infected and sent to the hospital.
- May 7 – TWO MONTHS INTO THE DISASTER MNHealth Commissioner Jan Malcolm finally releases a “5 Point Plan” to help nursing homes and congregate care patients. 500 people total, and 400 seniors in nursing homes, died before Jan Malcolm even made a plan! MPR reported on May 7th MNHealth was promising facility testing, PPE, and an admission that staffing was terrible in these facilities BEFORE the COVID emergency and considered furloughed healthcare workers or National Guard troops to help nursing homes. https://www.mprnews.org/story/2020/05/07/latest-on-covid19-in-mn
- May 20 WALZ AND MNHEALTH SENDING COVID INFECTED INTO NURSING HOMES. Sen. Karin Housley outraged to find Northridge in New Hope that had over 40 deaths still taking in COVID sick. https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/nursing-homes-accept-covid-19-patients-even-as-deaths-climb/ar-BB14mD3P
- May 21 MNHealth decides NOT to hire laid off healthcare workers with the $2 billion Trump gave Dictator Tim, and instead start their first training to make Iraq veteran Guard soldiers into testing aides and end up hurting dozens of seniors and ruin every test sample to boot. Still no organized test or staff reinforcements in nursing homes. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/botched-virus-testing-at-st-paul-nursing-home-brings-anger-apologies/ar-BB14o9iv
- May 23 – MNHealth has National Guard running 6 armory sites and begs anyone and everyone in general public to come get a COVID test for free BUT MNHEALTH STILL ISNT TESTING NURSING HOME STAFF OR IN FACILITIES WITH INFECTION
- May 24 – Pioneer Press reports staff in a nursing home facility in Mpls THAT HAS ACTIVE COVID INFECTIONS HAS TO SEND STAFF TO GET COVID TESTED SOMEWHERE ELSE. The day afetr the Guard runs tests for people that dont even have symptoms. 675 COVID dead senior total, and still no MNHealth.
- June 07 – 1 MONTH AFTER THE PLAN IS ANNOUNCED the state has over 10,000 tests per day available, even had 20000 unused tests over Memorial Day. 1186 DEATHS AND 80% IN NURSING HOMES, BUT NURSING HOME STAFF STILL ARENT BEING TESTED IN A REGULAR PROGRAM. https://www.mprnews.org/story/2020/06/07/latest-on-covid19-in-mn
- July 07 – 1150 of 1470 COVID deaths, or 80%, are still in nursing homes, infected seniors are still be sent to nursing homes, and no regular repeated test cycle has been completed on nursing home staff. Walz has opened the economy a litlte but is now requiring masks while ignoring nursing homes.
- July 21 – MNHEALTH UNDER PRESSURE AND THREAT OF SUBPEONA FINALLY RELEASES THE LIST OF WHCIH NURSING HOMES THE COVID DEATHS ARE OCCURING. Dictator Walz finally addresses the nursing home apocalypse himself after https://www.twincities.com/coronavirus-mn/nursing-homes/
Below are the committee’s, House and Senate, that oversee the MN Health Department with Jan Malcolm as the head. Its now time for the HERD to let them know directly that we want answers. Please call and email each member of the House and Senate committee to let them know that we want action.
This is the Minnesota Nursing Home – Whistle Blowers Page. If you work in a Minnesota nursing home and know the facts of a situation, PLEASE follow the link below. All submissions are anonymous.
Senate – Family Care and Aging Committee
Regular Meeting Schedule: Room 1100 Minnesota Senate Bldg.
Wednesday 8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Committee Leadership
Karin Housley
Chair
District 39, R
3217 Minnesota Senate Bldg.
St. Paul, MN 55155
651-296-4351
Jerry Relph
Vice Chair
District 14, R
3211 Minnesota Senate Bldg.
St. Paul, MN 55155
651-296-6455
Kent Eken
Ranking Minority Member
District 04, DFL
2211 Minnesota Senate Bldg.
St. Paul, MN 55155
651-296-3205
Committee Members
Jim Abeler
District 35, R
3215 Minnesota Senate Bldg.
St. Paul, MN 55155
651-296-3733
Justin D. Eichorn
District 05, R
3213 Minnesota Senate Bldg.
St. Paul, MN 55155
651-296-7079
Nick A. Frentz
District 19, DFL
2415 Minnesota Senate Bldg.
St. Paul, MN 55155
651-296-6153
John A. Hoffman
District 36, DFL
2231 Minnesota Senate Bldg.
St. Paul, MN 55155
651-296-4154
Mark W. Koran
District 32, R
3101 Minnesota Senate Bldg.
St. Paul, MN 55155
651-296-5419
Jerry Newton
District 37, DFL
2411 Minnesota Senate Bldg.
St. Paul, MN 55155
651-296-2556
Carrie Ruud
District 10, R
3233 Minnesota Senate Bldg.
St. Paul, MN 55155
651-296-4913
Staff
Committee Administrator
Brittany Johnson(651) 296-5540
Legislative Assistant – Chair
Hannah Seitzinger(651) 296-1780
Legislative Assistant – Vice Chair
Ben Randolph(651) 296-4984
Counsel
Pat Hauswald(651) 296-5079
Analyst
Liam Monahan(651) 296-1791
Fiscal Analyst
Dennis Albrecht(651) 296-3817
House – Health and Human Services Policy Committee
Committee Chair
Rep. Rena Moran (DFL) District: 65A
575 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St Paul, MN 55155
651-296-5158
Email: [email protected]
Vice Chair
Rep. Kelly Morrison (DFL) District: 33B
429 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St Paul, MN 55155
651-296-4315
Email: [email protected]
Republican Lead
Rep. Debra Kiel (R) District: 01B
255 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St Paul, MN 55155
651-296-5091
Email: [email protected]
Rep. Tony Albright (R) District: 55B
259 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St Paul, MN 55155
651-296-5185
Email: [email protected]
Rep. Jeff Backer (R) District: 12A
203 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St Paul, MN 55155
651-296-4929
Email: [email protected]
Rep. Kristin Bahner (DFL) District: 34B
525 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St Paul, MN 55155
651-296-5502
Email: [email protected]
Rep. Heather Edelson (DFL) District: 49A
549 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St Paul, MN 55155
651-296-4363
Email: [email protected]
Rep. Peter Fischer (DFL) District: 43A
551 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St Paul, MN 55155
651-296-5363
Email: [email protected]
Rep. Mike Freiberg (DFL) District: 45B
509 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St Paul, MN 55155
651-296-4176
Email: [email protected]
Rep. John Huot (DFL) District: 57B
583 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St Paul, MN 55155
651-296-4306
Email: [email protected]
Rep. Tina Liebling (DFL) District: 26A
477 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St Paul, MN 55155
651-296-0573
Email: [email protected]
Rep. Alice Mann (DFL) District: 56B
507 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St Paul, MN 55155
651-296-5387
Email: [email protected]
Rep. Anne Neu (R) District: 32B
261 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St Paul, MN 55155
651-296-5377
Email: [email protected]
Rep. Nels Pierson (R) District: 26B
345 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St Paul, MN 55155
651-296-4378
Email: [email protected]
Rep. Dave Pinto (DFL) District: 64B
439 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St Paul, MN 55155
651-296-4199
Email: [email protected]
Rep. Kristin Robbins (R) District: 34A
225 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St Paul, MN 55155
651-296-7806
Email: [email protected]
Rep. Joe Schomacker (R) District: 22A
209 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St Paul, MN 55155
651-296-5505
Email: [email protected]
Rep. Jennifer Schultz (DFL) District: 07A
473 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St Paul, MN 55155
651-296-2228
Email: [email protected]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEWednesday, August 26, 2020
Department of Justice Requesting Data From Governors of States that Issued COVID-19 Orders that May Have Resulted in Deaths of Elderly Nursing Home Residents
Data will help inform whether the Department of Justice will initiate investigations under the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA) regarding New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Michigan’s response to COVID-19 in public nursing homes
Today the Justice Department requested COVID-19 data from the governors of states that issued orders which may have resulted in the deaths of thousands of elderly nursing home residents. New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Michigan required nursing homes to admit COVID-19 patients to their vulnerable populations, often without adequate testing.
For example, on March 25, 2020, New York ordered: “No resident shall be denied re-admission or admission to [a nursing home] solely based on a confirmed or suspected diagnosis of COVID-19. [Nursing homes] are prohibited from requiring a hospitalized resident who is determined medically stable to be tested for COVID-19 prior to admission or readmission.”
“Protecting the rights of some of society’s most vulnerable members, including elderly nursing home residents, is one of our country’s most important obligations,” said Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Division Eric Dreiband. “We must ensure they are adequately cared for with dignity and respect and not unnecessarily put at risk.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control, New York has the highest number of COVID-19 deaths in the United States, with 32,592 victims, many of them elderly. New York’s death rate by population is the second highest in the country with 1,680 deaths per million people. New Jersey’s death rate by population is 1,733 deaths per million people – the highest in the nation. In contrast, Texas’s death rate by population is 380 deaths per million people; and Texas has just over 11,000 deaths, though its population is 50 percent larger than New York and has many more recorded cases of COVID-19 – 577,537 cases in Texas versus 430,885 cases in New York. Florida’s COVID-19 death rate is 480 deaths per million; with total deaths of 10,325 and a population slightly larger than New York.
The Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division is evaluating whether to initiate investigations under the federal “Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act” (CRIPA), which protects the civil rights of persons in state-run nursing homes, among others. The Civil Rights Division seeks to determine if the state orders requiring admission of COVID-19 patients to nursing homes is responsible for the deaths of nursing home residents.
On March 3, 2020, the Attorney General announced the Justice Department’s National Nursing Home Initiative. This is a comprehensive effort by the department, led by the Elder Justice Initiative and in strong partnership with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that uses every available tool to pursue nursing homes that provide substandard care to their residents.