Attorney General James Issues Statement on Comptroller DiNapoli’s Audit

Audit Affirms AG James’ Findings That DOH Undercounted Nursing Home Deaths

NEW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James issued the following statement in response to Comptroller Tom DiNapoli’s audit of the New York State Department of Health’s (DOH) response to COVID, which affirmed some of the findings of Attorney General James’ January 2021 nursing homes report, most notably that DOH misrepresented the true number of deaths that occurred at nursing homes:

“This audit affirms many of the findings that we uncovered last year about the state’s response to COVID, most notably that DOH and the former governor undercounted the number of deaths in nursing homes by as much as 50 percent. I am grateful to Comptroller DiNapoli for bringing much needed transparency to this critical issue. My office will continue to monitor nursing home conditions and ensure the safety of our most vulnerable residents. If anyone has concerns about nursing home conditions, I urge them to contact my office.”

Attorney General James encourages anyone with information or concerns about nursing home conditions to file confidential complaints online or by calling 833-249-8499.