100+ Conn. Long-Term Care Facilities Fined For Not Complying With Vaccine Reporting Mandate

Over 100 Connecticut long-term care facilities are being fined for being noncompliant with the state's employee COVID-19 vaccine reporting mandate.

The state Department of Public Health began issuing civil penalties to long-term care facilities that are subject under Executive Order 13F.

Places included in the executive order are 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).

Gov. Ned Lamont's executive order required these facilities to submit reports attesting to each place's compliance by Sept. 28.

Of the 643 long-term care facilities subject to the order, 101 facilities, or 16%, had not reported to DPH as of Nov. 12, the department said.

DPH officials said 59 facilities submitted attestation reports late while an additional 101 facilities failed to report altogether. In October, DPH issued a total of $221,000 in civil penalties to 26 of the 59 facilities in the "Late Reporter" category.

Each long-term care facility is subject to a $5,000 fine each day they don't file their attestation report, with the exception of residential care homes which are subject to $500 fines each day.

State Issues Fines for Improper Reporting of Covid-19 Vaccine Compliance

The DPH estimates that they've issued a total of $19 million in fines for long-term care facilities who've failed to submit the necessary documentation.

“The fact that facilities have failed to report their compliance with EO 13F is unacceptable,” DPH Commissioner Manisha Juthani said in a statement.

“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," she continued.