OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Letter to The Honorable Steve Bullock, Governor of the State of Montana - Daines to Bullock: Need Transparency on COVID-19 Cases, Deaths in Long-Term Care Facilities, Status Quo Unacceptable

Letter

Date: Aug. 28, 2020
Location: Helena, Montana
Issues: Health and Health Care

Dear Governor Bullock:
I write today regarding the lack of reporting of cases and deaths due to COVID-19 in long-term care
facilities in Montana and to urge you to make this information publically available without further delay
to help mitigate the spread of the coronavirus and help prevent future loss of life.
As you know, individuals in long-term care facilities are among the most vulnerable in the U.S. of being
infected by and dying from the coronavirus. COVID-19 can be lethal to older adults with underlying
health conditions and can spread more easily in congregate settings like nursing homes and assisted
living facilities. In Montana, outbreaks of COVID-19 in senior care facilities have tragically resulted in
at least 200 positive cases and 25 deaths according to news reports; 1
however, the data currently
available provides an incomplete picture of the impact of COVID-19 on Montana's senior communities.
According to an August 20, 2020, report from the Kaiser Family Foundation, Montana is only one of
four states not reporting cases and deaths due to COVID-19 in long-term care facilities.
2
This lack of
reporting causes an information gap and hinders the ability for policy makers to produce comprehensive,
effective solutions that will help combat the spread of this virus and prevent future deaths. Transparency
around COVID-19 data in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities is critical to inform policy
solutions that will help slow the spread, improve senior care, and save lives. AARP has likewise called
for increased transparency of COVID-19 data to help identify disparities in health care and bring about
better health outcomes for seniors and others disproportionally affected by the COVID-19 pandemic,
including Native Americans.3
In order to help mitigate the number of lives lost moving forward, I encourage you to make public cases
and deaths due to COVID-19 in long-term care facilities by licensure category without further delay.
Thank you for your attention to this critical issue. I look forward to your response.
Sincerely,
STEVE DAINES
United States Senator


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