Statement from Focused Post Acute Care Partners on Governor Abbott’s Announcement of Mandatory COVID-19 Testing of All Residents and Staff in Texas Skilled Nursing Communities

May 12, 2020 — (Fort Worth, Texas)

Focused Post Acute Care Partners, a skilled nursing care company with 31 long term care communities in Texas, today responded to Governor Abbott’s announcement that all nursing home residents and staff must be tested for the COVID-19 virus.

The company is awaiting guidance from the state on how to implement the order that requests all long term care communities to establish their priority order of execution.

As long term care providers, the company notes, we stand ready to comply with the order and look to direction from the state on the following:

  • Who conducts the mandatory testing of staff and residents in long term care communities;
  • How often testing will be conducted;
  • How quickly skilled nursing communities can expect to receive results of the COVID-19 tests;
  • Lab locations where the tests will be processed; and
  • Responsibility for payment of COVID-19 tests

Focused Care echoes the request of the Texas Health Care Association in asking the state Legislative Budget Board to approve the request for relief funding submitted by the Health and Human Services Commission to ensure much needed resources are available to offset increased expenses incurred prior to the recent mandate for testing. Those expenses for PPE, additional staff and other priorities will most certainly continue to climb during the life of the pandemic.

Focused Care continues to follow all recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and closely monitor guidelines as they are updated. Focused Care senior leadership is in regular contact with local, county and state health departments and following their guidance.