USA TODAY broadens access to report card rating COVID outcomes at nursing homes during surge

Report card of how nursing homes fared during the worst COVID surge from 2020-2021.

As the United States surpasses 1 million COVID-19 deaths since the pandemic began, USA TODAY is opening up access to a report card of infections and deaths in nursing homes during the worst of the pandemic.

Originally only accessible to subscribers, the tool allows users to scrutinize the nation’s 15,000 nursing homes by their performance as the largest surge of COVID infections swept through those facilities during a five-month period starting in October 2020. The information is based on data the facilities themselves began filing weekly with the federal government several months into the pandemic.

Users can search nursing homes by name or location based on key indicators such as infections, deaths, nursing hours. It also includes scores based on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ Five-Star Quality Rating System from its Nursing Home Compare website.

NOTE: The database offers a snapshot from a uniquely challenging period and, since nursing homes reported the data themselves, they can change it at any time. USA TODAY has flagged ratings of one large chain, Trilogy, which provided new numbers to the government after reporters reached out about its high death rates. Those new submissions are under review. Consumers should consider this point-in-time database alongside other tools to evaluate nursing homes.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 1 million COVID deaths in US: How many died in nursing homes in surge?