MIAMI (AP) — Federal health officials are dropping a Florida nursing home from the Medicare program after 14 patients died after the facility lost air conditioning during Hurricane Irma.
On Sept. 13, eight residents died and the others were evacuated from the sweltering Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills. Six more have since died, which attorneys say was a result of the conditions and evacuations immediately after the storm.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services said in a statement that the facility will be terminated Friday “due to their failure to meet Medicare’s basic health and safety requirements.”
The state previously banned the center from the Medicaid program. Company officials later announced they were closing permanently.
A spokeswoman for the home says they’ll appeal and look forward to showing evidence that their actions were consistent with all state and federal rules.
