Cuomo claims N.Y. has 'one of the best nursing home systems in the country'

More people in New York State’s nursing homes -- 5,000 and counting -- have died from COVID-19 than in any other state.

But Gov.

Andrew M.

Cuomo said Monday that New York is taking unprecedented action.

EXCEPT BUFFALOGENERAL.NEW YORK NURSINGHOMES HAVE TAKENTHE HARDEST HITFROM THIS PANDEMIC.MANY PEOPLE HAVECALLED THEMGROUND ZERO.AND GOVERNORCUOMO HAS COMEUNDER FIRE FOR TSTATE'S HANDLING OFTHE CRISIS AT ADULTCARE FACILITIES.TONIGHT -- HERESPONDS TO THE I-TEAM'S CHARLIESPECHT.MORE PEOPLE IN NEWYORK'S NURSINGHOMES -- 5,000 ANDCOUNTING -- HAVEDIED FROM COVID-19THAN IN ANY OTHERSTATE...BUT GOV.ANDREW CUOMO SAYSNEW YORK IS TAKINGUNPRECEDENTEDACTION.GOV.

ANDREW CUOMO:NO OTHER STATE ISREQUIRING THAT THESTAFF BE TESTEDTWICE A WEEK.

IUNDERSTAND THAT.

IUNDERSTAND WE HAVETHE MOST AGGRESSIVESTANDARD IN THENATION.BUT OTHERS LIKEDOWNSTATEASSEMBLYMANRICHARD GOTTFRIEDSAY NEW YORK HASHAD NURSING HOMEPROBLEMS FORYEARS.:COVID-19 HAS MADETHEM WORSE AMORE VISIBLE.FOUR YEARS AGO,STATE COMPTROLLERTHOMAS DINAPOLIRELEASED AN AUDITTHAT WAS HIGHLYCRITICAL OF NURSINGHOME REGULATION BYTHE STATE HEALTHDEPARTMENT.ASSEMBLYMANRICHARD GOTTFRIED/MANHATTA:THE ENFORCEMENT OFHEALTH CODES ANDSAFETY CODES BY THEHEALTH DEPARTMENTHAS FOR DECADESBEEN SERIOUSLYUNDERSTAFFED ANDDONE WITH A VERY LAXATTITUDE.THE AUDIT SHOWEDTHAT AFTER FINDINGDEFICIENCIES ATNURSING HOMES, THESTATE HEALTHDEPARTMENT CHOSE"TO NOT LEVY FINESFOR WELL OVER 80PERCENT OF THEVIOLATIONS IT CITES.ASSEMBLYMANRICHARDGOTTFRIED/D-MANHATTA:WHEN NATIONALGROUPS LIKE THEKAISER FAMILYFOUNDATION DNATIONAL SURVEYS OFNURSING HOMEQUALITY ANDPROBLEMS IN NURSINHOMES, NEW YORK'SQUALITY RATINGS AREALWAYS PRETTY MUCHTOWARDS THBOTTOM.WE LOOKED UP THATKAISER STUDY FROM2015, AND IT SHOWEDTHAT NEW YORK ISONE OF 11 STATESWHERE AT LEAST 40PERCENT OF ALLNURSING HOMES HAVERELATIVELY LOWOVERALL RATINGSEITHER 1 OR 2 STARS.WHOLE EXCHANGESPECHT:IF YOU TALK TO THEEXPERTS ON NURSINGHOMES, THEY'LL TELLYOU BEFORE COVID-19,NEW YORK STATE HADONE OF THE LOWESTLEVELS OF CARE INNURSING HOMES ANDSOME OF THE MOSTLAX ENFORCEMENTTHE STATE HEALTHDEPARTMENT.

SO ISTHE STATE NOTSOME WAY TO BLAMEFOR WHAT HASHAPPENED IN NURSINGHOMES?CUOMO:YEAH, I DON'T BELIEVEEXPERTS WOULD SAYTHAT.

WE HAVE OVER600 NURSING HOMES.WE'VE HAD ONE OF THEBEST NURSING HOMESYSTEMS IN THECOUNTRY FOR A LONGPERIOD OF TIME.

YOUKNOW, YOU COULDALWAYS HAVE PEOPLEWHO SAY, WELL YOSHOULD DO MORE.THAT ALWAYSHAPPENS.FOR THE I-TEAM,CHARLIE SPECHT, 7EYEWITNESS N