The flashpoint in a legislative investigation of deaths related to COVID-19 in Pennsylvania nursing homes centers on just one word: âmust.â
Republican lawmakers claim Gov. Tom Wolf put lives at risk last year when his Health Department issued guidance saying nursing homes âmustâ admit stable COVID 19 patients.
GOP lawmakers say their interest is not in assigning blame, but in fixing any laws or regulations to prevent unnecessary deaths in long-term care facilities should another pandemic occur.
âWe need to know what went wrong,â state Rep. Natalie Mihalek, R-Allegheny, said at a recent news conference where a key Republican, Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff, referred his request for an investigation to the House Government Oversight Committee.