DHEC released this week track the number of cases and deaths among residents and staff in South Carolina nursing homes. Nursing homes are required to report COVID-19 infections and deaths to DHEC since May 1, 2020. How many before May 1st? DHEC warns that nursing home caregivers are at increased risk of exposure to COVID-19. 

Trump’s Admission The Post Office is an institution established in the Constitution. The Founding Fathers knew its importance. Now, the Postal Service warns it is unable to meet some states’ mail-in ballot deadlines without adequate funding. President Trump resists new funding and criticizes mail voting as fraudulent. No evidence supports his claim. Then, President Trump

Dumping ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Recently, they investigated dumping of nursing home residents. The investigation included how to count nursing home deaths. The way New York (and perhaps other states) count nursing home deaths incentivized dumping so the mortality rate at the facility looks better. The administration insisted the

Should we open schools in Spartanburg, S.C.?  Visit South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control’s SC Cases by County & ZIP Code (COVID-19) page for the recent disease activity by county report.  We are still in the red zone.  It is not safe. More than 2,000 students, teachers and staff members across five states have been quarantined

Know Your Rights Whistle-blowers need federal protection. Whistle-blower disclosures save lives as well as billions of taxpayer dollars. Whistle-blowers play a key role in keeping nursing homes honest, efficient, and accountable. Since the pandemic started, we have been getting numerous phone calls from nursing home staff members with credible complaints. Many caregivers tell us horror stories

Follow The Money The Trump Administration gave nursing homes billions from the CARES Act including $4.9 billion in May and $5 billion announced in July. HHS also released funds for providers based on Medicare and Medicaid revenues. The funds were intended to buy personal protective equipment, increase staffing to safe numbers, and testing. Nursing homes are