Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has vetoed a bill that would have barred patients who test positive for the coronavirus from being sent to nursing homes in her state.
The legislation, known as SB 956, was sponsored by Michigan state Republican Sen. Peter Lucido and was a challenge to Whitmer's previous order to send coronavirus-positive patients into nursing homes.
"Instead of protecting seniors, this bill would require the state to create COVID-19-only facilities, forcing hospitals and many nursing homes to send COVID-19-positive patients to such facilities without any requirement for consent, doctor approval, or notification to the patient or their family."
Bridge Magazine reported that as of Wednesday, 7,582 Michigan nursing home residents had tested positive for the coronavirus, and 1,986 had died since March, when the state began loading the facilities with coronavirus-positive patients.
Michigan joined New York, New Jersey, California and Pennsylvania as states that sent COVID patients to nursing homes.
"The decision of several governors to ignore federal protocols and instead mandate COVID positive patients be forced back to their nursing homes ended up being a death sentence for tens of thousands of our nation's most vulnerable citizens," Republican Whip Steve Scalise said.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is perhaps the most criticized of the Democrat governors to require nursing homes to accept COVID patients.
The legislation, known as SB 956, was sponsored by Michigan state Republican Sen. Peter Lucido and was a challenge to Whitmer's previous order to send coronavirus-positive patients into nursing homes.
"Instead of protecting seniors, this bill would require the state to create COVID-19-only facilities, forcing hospitals and many nursing homes to send COVID-19-positive patients to such facilities without any requirement for consent, doctor approval, or notification to the patient or their family."
Bridge Magazine reported that as of Wednesday, 7,582 Michigan nursing home residents had tested positive for the coronavirus, and 1,986 had died since March, when the state began loading the facilities with coronavirus-positive patients.
Michigan joined New York, New Jersey, California and Pennsylvania as states that sent COVID patients to nursing homes.
"The decision of several governors to ignore federal protocols and instead mandate COVID positive patients be forced back to their nursing homes ended up being a death sentence for tens of thousands of our nation's most vulnerable citizens," Republican Whip Steve Scalise said.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is perhaps the most criticized of the Democrat governors to require nursing homes to accept COVID patients.
No comments:
Post a Comment