Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is set to testify publicly on Sept. 10 before the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis. The subcommittee interviewed Cuomo behind closed doors in June about his nursing home policy during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Andrew Cuomo owes answers to the 15,000 families who lost loved ones in New York’s nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Rep. Brad Wenstrup (R-Ohio), the subcommittee’s chairman.
In 2020, Cuomo ordered New York nursing homes to house citizens who tested positive for COVID-19. The New York State Department of Health, under Cuomo, issued an order on March 25, 2020, stating that no resident should be denied re-admission or admission to a nursing home based solely on a confirmed or suspected diagnosis of COVID-19.
An audit by the New York state comptroller found that the Department of Health had not been transparent in reporting COVID-19 deaths at nursing homes and had understated the number of deaths by as much as 50 percent.
The comptroller faced delays during the audit, with requests for information at times languishing for months. The subcommittee had subpoenaed Cuomo in March to testify about the nursing home deaths.
During a closed-door interview in June, Cuomo claimed he was unaware of the March 25, 2020 order until a press conference in April and that nursing homes were confused by it.
In July 2020, Cuomo dismissed criticism of his nursing home handling as politically motivated. In February 2021, he denied allegations of inaccurately reporting nursing home deaths due to COVID-19.
Following the closed-door interview, Wenstrup stated that Cuomo seemed defensive and unwilling to take responsibility for the situation. Cuomo did not see the discrepancy between reported death counts and actual death rates as significant.
Ahead of the hearing, a spokesman for Cuomo criticized the committee for blaming New York for nursing home deaths despite following federal guidance.
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