NEW YORK — The state of New York amended a law that had protected nursing homes from being held liable in most coronavirus-related lawsuits.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) signed the amended bill into law in early August. The legislation clarifies that immunity from liability applies only to facilities that provide care and treatment to residents and patients as it relates to COVID-19 during the public health emergency.
Providers also will no longer receive immunity for care that is being delivered but not related to the pandemic — from now until the end of the state’s COVID-19 emergency declaration.
Earlier language shielded nursing homes and other healthcare facilities from the possibility of lawsuits over patient care during the pandemic. That provision had later come under much scrutiny from lawmakers.
From the September 2020 Issue of McKnight's Long-Term Care News
