#

FYI. Gregory P. Priamos County Counsel County of Riverside gpriamos@rivco.org<mailto:gpriamos@rivco.org> 951.955.6300 [CountyLogo] CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This communication is intended for the use of the individual or entity to which it is addressed and may contain attorney work product and/or attorney client information that is privileged, confidential and exempt from disclosure under applicable law. If the reader of this communication is not the intended recipient or the employee or agent responsible for delivering this communication to the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please notify our office by reply e-mail or by telephone and immediately delete this communication and all its attachments. From: The DOJ news alerts email notification list <PRESSLIST@DOJ.CA.GOV> On Behalf Of California Attorney General's Office Sent: Tuesday, May 5, 2020 12:35 PM To: PRESSLIST@DOJ.CA.GOV Subject: Attorney General Becerra Pushes for Greater Transparency and Communication as Coronavirus Continues to Spread in Nursing Homes CAUTION: This email originated externally from the Riverside County email system. DO NOT click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. [State of California Department of Justice, Office of the Attorney General Xavier Becerra] News Release May 5, 2020 For Immediate Release (916) 210-6000 agpressoffice@doj.ca.gov<mailto:agpressoffice@doj.ca.gov> Social Networks [Visit the California Attorney General's Facebook]<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.facebook.com/AGBecerra__;!!JTyGX330HN5x6Ko!QzgV_DJ_EzdDpU2oTuK-n41ZKjhanoGNrjbjMiFWSZwKuDtZ-CkV7XY-KM_Vmt8$> [Follow the Attorney General on Twitter]<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/twitter.com/AGBecerra__;!!JTyGX330HN5x6Ko!QzgV_DJ_EzdDpU2oTuK-n41ZKjhanoGNrjbjMiFWSZwKuDtZ-CkV7XY-xo78edE$> [Visit the Attorney General's YouTube Channel]<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.youtube.com/caoag__;!!JTyGX330HN5x6Ko!QzgV_DJ_EzdDpU2oTuK-n41ZKjhanoGNrjbjMiFWSZwKuDtZ-CkV7XY-Fnd2G8M$> Print Version<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-becerra-pushes-greater-transparency-and-communication?print=true__;!!JTyGX330HN5x6Ko!QzgV_DJ_EzdDpU2oTuK-n41ZKjhanoGNrjbjMiFWSZwKuDtZ-CkV7XY-68PhJAA$> Attorney General Becerra Pushes for Greater Transparency and Communication as Coronavirus Continues to Spread in Nursing Homes SACRAMENTO – California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, as part of a multistate coalition, sent a letter to Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Seema Verma urging immediate action to increase transparency and outreach from nursing homes as coronavirus continues to spread throughout these Medicare and Medicaid facilities. CMS recently issued guidance to ensure that nursing homes quickly notify family members of illness and provide data to federal public health institutions on the presence of coronavirus in their facilities. But, as of yet, it has failed to propose any regulations or rules to implement and enforce this guidance. In the letter, the coalition calls on CMS to back up its guidance with concrete action so that public health institutions can accurately assess the spread of coronavirus and families can make informed decisions about what is best for their loved ones. “As the coronavirus continues to isolate families from their loved ones, providing swift and accurate information on coronavirus cases should be the bare minimum we expect from nursing home facilities,” said Attorney General Becerra. “These facilities house some of our most vulnerable populations, we must do everything we can to protect them. While California is already taking steps, it’s important that CMS act immediately to implement and enforce new national guidelines that will increase transparency and ensure family members are notified by nursing homes as coronavirus cases occur.” In the letter, the multistate coalition argues that having accurate information about the presence of coronavirus in nursing homes is absolutely essential in order for public health institutions to better understand the extent of the disease and for family members to plan for the well-being of their loved ones. While CMS claims in its guidance to nursing home facilities that it will engage in rulemaking and provide additional guidance on the implementation and enforcement of the new reporting requirements, it has yet to do so. California recently began requiring similar reporting of coronavirus data at a state level for nursing homes, but CMS regulations clarifying federal reporting requirements would help families nationwide to obtain this essential information. The coalition makes clear that failure to act is unacceptable and highlights the urgent need for CMS to step up as coronavirus continues to devastate nursing homes across the country. Attorney General Becerra joins the attorneys general of New York, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Washington, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia in sending the letter. A copy of the letter can be found here<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.oag.ca.gov/system/files/attachments/press-docs/CMS*20Reporting*20Letter*205.1.20.pdf__;JSUl!!JTyGX330HN5x6Ko!QzgV_DJ_EzdDpU2oTuK-n41ZKjhanoGNrjbjMiFWSZwKuDtZ-CkV7XY-mT2xqeU$>. # # # You may view the full account of this posting, including possible attachments, in the News & Alerts section of our website at: https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-becerra-pushes-greater-transparency-and-communication<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-becerra-pushes-greater-transparency-and-communication__;!!JTyGX330HN5x6Ko!QzgV_DJ_EzdDpU2oTuK-n41ZKjhanoGNrjbjMiFWSZwKuDtZ-CkV7XY-NE67J6Y$> [© 2020 Department of Justice] You may view all News & Alerts on our website at: https://oag.ca.gov/news<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/oag.ca.gov/news__;!!JTyGX330HN5x6Ko!QzgV_DJ_EzdDpU2oTuK-n41ZKjhanoGNrjbjMiFWSZwKuDtZ-CkV7XY-er5-uqM$> Please visit the remainder of the Attorney General's site at: https://oag.ca.gov/<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/oag.ca.gov/__;!!JTyGX330HN5x6Ko!QzgV_DJ_EzdDpU2oTuK-n41ZKjhanoGNrjbjMiFWSZwKuDtZ-CkV7XY-1095lCI$> Unsubscribe<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/oag.ca.gov/subscribe__;!!JTyGX330HN5x6Ko!QzgV_DJ_EzdDpU2oTuK-n41ZKjhanoGNrjbjMiFWSZwKuDtZ-CkV7XY-hekY5kY$> from this list Confidentiality Disclaimer This email is confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual(s) to whom it is addressed. The information contained in this message may be privileged and confidential and protected from disclosure. If you are not the author's intended recipient, be advised that you have received this email in error and that any use, dissemination, forwarding, printing, or copying of this email is strictly prohibited. If you have received this email in error please delete all copies, both electronic and printed, and contact the author immediately. County of Riverside California <http://www.countyofriverside.us/>