State Rep says Covid deaths in long-term facilities expected to be 30% higher in auditor's report

House oversight chair says auditor report shows state undercounted Covid nursing home deaths

A report by the state auditor general is expected to show that Michigan undercounted the death total from COVID-19 long-term facilities, says Rep. Steven Johnson.

FOX 2 - Death numbers in Michigan long-term health facilities are said to be undercounted by 30 percent in an upcoming report to be released by the state's auditor general, according to Rep. Steven Johnson.

The revelation comes as Johnson released a statement regarding the report Wednesday evening. Johnson (R-Wayland) is the chair of the House Oversight Committee and said that residents deserve to know the truth.

The state’s Department of Health acknowledged in a letter that a previous total of COVID-19 long-term care facility deaths is 30 percent lower than what the Auditor General found, Johnson said (Read the response from the Dept. of Health and Human Services at bottom of story).

"While I am eager to thoroughly review the full report, what has been made clear is a sizable and shocking undercount of COVID-19 deaths at long-term care facilities in Michigan," Johnson wrote. "The number reported by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s administration was 30 percent lower than what the Auditor General has found. Make no mistake – this is a large discrepancy, and the report makes that clear.

"As chair of the House Oversight Committee, I believe it is my duty to uncover the truth for the people of Michigan – while providing them with needed accountability and transparency as it pertains to their state government. Not just for those who are Republicans or those who are Democrats. All people. That is why I sought this audit. This was important information to gather for those throughout our state who have loved ones and relatives in nursing homes and are scared, and sadly those who lost friends and family to COVID-19 while inside a nursing home or other long-term care facilities."

The MDHHS director, Elizabeth Hertel, said in the response letter that the auditor general's report is not deemed accurate, pointing out that the analysis does not apply the CDC definition of a COVID-19 death reportable by a long-term care facility.

"A reportable long-term care COVID-19 death is defined by the National Healthcare Safety Network as a resident who died from COVID-19 related complications and includes resident deaths in the facility, and in other locations in which the
resident with COVID-19 was transferred to receive treatment," she said in the letter. "Residents not expected to return to the long-term care facility are excluded from the count. MDHHS has always required long-term care COVID-19 deaths be reported consistent with this standard set by the federal government."

Related: State auditor finds hundreds of unreported COVID-19 deaths

Johnson went on to criticize Whitmer's policies early in the pandemic of housing Covid patients at some long-term health facilities.

Stay with FOX 2 for more on this developing story.

Below: Read the response from the Michigan Dept. of Health and Human Services to the report.

Johnson's full statement is below.

"While I am eager to thoroughly review the full report, what has been made clear is a sizable and shocking undercount of COVID-19 deaths at long-term care facilities in Michigan. The number reported by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s administration was 30 percent lower than what the Auditor General has found. Make no mistake – this is a large discrepancy, and the report makes that clear.

"As chair of the House Oversight Committee, I believe it is my duty to uncover the truth for the people of Michigan – while providing them with needed accountability and transparency as it pertains to their state government. Not just for those who are Republicans or those who are Democrats. All people. That is why I sought this audit. This was important information to gather for those throughout our state who have loved ones and relatives in nursing homes and are scared, and sadly those who lost friends and family to COVID-19 while inside of a nursing home or other long-term care facilities.

"Our committee will continue to look at why there was this discrepancy, as well as what changes are needed to ensure future reporting reflects precision instead of polling numbers. We have now seen the true scope of Gov. Whitmer’s disastrous policies, and we must ensure these tragic circumstances do not happen again. There is frankly a lot to answer for, and our legislative panel will be working to get those answers."

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