HHS Secretary Alex Azar: Federal Investigation Underway Into Brighton Rehab And Wellness Center, Where More Than 70 Residents Have Died
BEAVER, Pa. (KDKA) - A federal investigation is underway into the Brighton Rehab and Wellness Center, Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar says.
Federal inspectors were there from May 12 through 14 going over data, KDKA's Nicole Ford reports.
The latest data released by the Pennsylvania Department of Health Tuesday reports 368 residents at the Beaver County nursing home have tested positive for coronavirus and 76 have died. Thirty-one employees have also tested positive.
Azar cites the number of lives lost at that facility as the reason for the investigation.
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"Our states have got to take this serious. We are quite concerned about our fatality rates," Azar said.
This investigation is on top of the state investigation, which is rare according to Azar since it is typically a state jurisdiction. Pennsylvania's top prosecutor opened a criminal investigation into nursing homes mid-May.
"When you have this many deaths in one facility, you just have to send your federal inspectors in to make sure we find out what happened and demand accountability. because at the end of the day, these are our Medicaid and Medicare beneficiaries being put at risk," Azar said.
The findings will be released to the public when complete, Azar says.
