FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Nov. 21, 2021
CONTACT: Chris Boyle, Director of Communications
(860) 706-9654 – christopher.boyle@ct.gov
Connecticut Department Of Public Health Continues To Issue Civil Penalties
To Long-term Care Facilities For Failure to Comply with Executive Order 13F
HARTFORD, Conn.— Last week, the Connecticut Department of Public Health began issuing civil penalties to long-term care facilities—classified as “Non-Reporters” —who are subject to Executive Order 13F, which mandates COVID-19 vaccinations for individuals who work in long-term care facilities.
Long-term care facilities subject to the Executive Order include nursing homes, assisted living services agencies, managed residential communities, residential care homes, chronic disease hospitals, and intermediate care facilities for individuals with intellectual disabilities (ICF/IIDs).
EO 13F required long-term care facilities to submit by Sept. 28, reports attesting to each facility’s compliance with the Executive Order. Of the 643 long-term care facilities subject to the Order, 101 facilities (16 percent) had not reported to DPH as of Nov. 12.
Excluding 45 ICF/IIDs whose reporting remains under review by DPH, 59 facilities have submitted attestation reports late (“Late Reporters”), while 101 facilities have failed to report altogether. Last month, DPH issued a total of $221,000 in civil penalties to 26 of the 59 facilities in the Late Reporter category.
Penalties for non-reporting were issued per day according to the following schedule:
|
Facility Type |
Civil Penalty Per Day |
|
Assisted Living Service Agency Chronic Disease Hospitals ICF/IIDs Managed Residential Communities Nursing Homes |
$5,000 |
|
Residential Care Homes |
$500 |
Penalties have been imposed on the Non-Reporter facilities as follows:
DPH continues to review the remaining 101 facilities in the Non-Reporter category. On Nov. 1, facilities classified as Non-Reporters were assessed on-going penalties, which did not include a seven-day grace period. DPH estimates that Non-Reporters are subject collectively to fines totaling more than $19 million.
DPH is also reviewing the reporting status of all ICF/IID facilities separately, since these facilities are also subject to Executive Order 13G, and some appear to have reported their compliance through the reporting process set up for that Order. Any ICF/IIDs found to have failed to report timely either to DPH or the EO 13G State portal will be subject to civil penalties per day according to the schedule above.
“The fact that facilities have failed to report their compliance with EO 13F is unacceptable,” said DPH Commissioner Manisha Juthani, MD. “With the holidays and colder weather approaching, we expect cases of COVID-19 to rise in the community, which increases the chances that COVID-19 cases will rise in long-term care settings. These vaccine mandates are in place to protect not only the patients and residents in long-term care but to ensure the health and safety of staff and their families and co-workers.”
Long-term care facilities that have not reported can do so by visiting the following link: https://dphflisevents.ct.gov/
Published by: Heather Trabal, MD
Heather.Trabal@ct.gov