LANSING, Mich. Dec. 7, 2022 — State Rep. Padma Kuppa (D-Troy) reintroduced a bill today that would require nursing home employees to be notified when a resident tests positive for a communicable disease. House Bill 6554 was originally introduced in 2020 as House Bill 6146 following the start of the global COVID-19 pandemic with the aim of ensuring elderly care workers can take necessary measures to protect themselves from diseases as well as to ensure they don’t spread diseases further. Rep. Kuppa stated:
“During the COVID-19 pandemic, it became abundantly clear that precautions need to be in place to guarantee the safety of our elders, as well as those that care for them. COVID-19 not only took the lives of many of our elderly, but also many of their caretakers as well. It’s common sense that nursing home staff should be given information regarding their patients’ health and well-being, especially when their patients have contracted an infectious disease, so they can secure the safety of their patients, the staff and themselves.”
Rep. Kuppa is the co-chair of the Michigan Legislative Care Caucus, which brings together legislators and stakeholders to promote policies that support those who provide and receive long-term care.
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