Tag: Attorney General Letitia James

As Congress Weighs COVID Liability Protections, States Shield Health Providers

By Susan Jaffe  | Kaiser Health News | May 14, 2020 | This story also ran on 

Coronavirus patients and their families who believe a doctor, nurse, hospital or other provider made serious mistakes during their care may face a new hurdle if they try to file medical malpractice lawsuits.

Under pressure from health provider organizations, governors in Connecticut, Maryland, Illinois and several other states have ordered that most providers be shielded from civil ― and, in some cases, criminal— lawsuits over medical treatment during the C OVID-19 health emergency. In New York and New Jersey, immunity is now part of state law….

Some legal experts and seniors’ advocates worry that the state immunity guarantees go too far, leaving patients with no way to hold providers accountable. Supporters argue that health care providers and facilities deserve protection from lawsuits as they battle a deadly virus during an unprecedented public health emergency.  [Continued at Kaiser Health News and Daily Beast. ]  

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Nursing Home Watchdogs Scarce At NYC Facilities As Hundreds Die Within

CLOSED  DOORS    |    THE CITY    |    April 23, 2020     

By Susan Jaffe 

Eyes and ears usually trained on New York’s nursing homes and adult care facilities have been nearly locked out as the coronavirus has claimed the lives of more than 3,500 residents statewide.

Almost entirely out of the picture are nursing home inspectors,employed by the state Department of Health and

 coordinated by the federal government, who are responsible for ensuring that the facilities comply with federal health and safety requirements.

“Nursing facilities are essentially free of public scrutiny right now, at a time when scrutiny is more important than ever,” said Susan Dooha, executive director of the Center for Independence of the Disabled in New York [continued here].

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