HHS Report: COVID-19 Had a Devastating Impact on Medicare Beneficiaries in Nursing Homes During 2020
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General has released a report, "COVID-19 Had a Devastating Impact on Medicare Beneficiaries in Nursing Homes During 2020."
Nursing home residents have been particularly affected by COVID-19, as they are predominately elderly, tend to have underlying conditions, and live in close quarters. However, data on the number of nursing home residents who were diagnosed with COVID-19 or likely COVID-19 have not been readily available, particularly for early in the pandemic. Nursing homes are not required to report cases and deaths that occurred before May 8, 2020.
This data snapshot provides objective, standardized data based on Medicare claims for all Medicare beneficiaries in nursing homes throughout the country. This data snapshot is the first in a three-part series. Subsequent work will address the characteristics of the hardest hit nursing homes and strategies used by nursing homes to confront the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.
To learn more about this report, click here.
To read the report, click here.
To read a related AP article, "Watchdog: Nursing Home Deaths Up 32% in 2020 Amid Pandemic," click here.
