• WBST 92.1 FMMuncie
  • WBSB 89.5 FMAnderson
  • WBSW 90.9 FMMarion
  • WBSH 91.1 FMHagerstown / New Castle
Indiana Public Radio, a listener-supported service of Ball State University
Listen Live Online. Tap to open audio stream.

Box Says State Can’t Test Every Nursing Home Resident As White House Recommends

By Brandon Smith, IPB News | Published on in Family Issues, Government, Health
State Health Commissioner Kris Box says Indiana can’t test every nursing home resident and employee by next week, as the White House recommends. (Justin Hicks/IPB News)
State Health Commissioner Kris Box says Indiana can’t test every nursing home resident and employee by next week, as the White House recommends. (Justin Hicks/IPB News)
State Health Commissioner Kris Box says Indiana can’t test every nursing home resident and employee by next week, as the White House recommends.

The state has repeatedly been pressured to release the names of long-term care facilities that have positive COVID-19 cases. But state officials refuse to do so. Box insists she’s not trying to protect anyone by shielding the information.

“What I am trying to do is emphasize the importance of that communication occurring between the facility, with the residents and with their representatives,” Box says.

READ MORE: Indiana Won’t Name Nursing Homes With COVID-19 Outbreaks

Join the conversation and sign up for the Indiana 2020 Two-Way. Text “elections” to 73224. Your comments and questions in response to our weekly text help us find the answers you need on COVID-19 and the 2020 election.

Yet some family members of nursing home residents still say facilities aren’t cooperating. Box urges people experiencing that problem to report it to the state.

She also says it’s simply not possible to test every nursing home patient any time soon, citing the large number of tests that would be required. But Box does say the state is working to get every employee tested.

“Either connect them with Optum sites or to actually do that testing in the facilities for them or to be able to provide them with the test kits,” Box says.

Box says she’s hoping to get every long-term care facility employee tested by mid-June.

A recent report from the American Health Care Association and the National Center for Assisted Living – which represent long-term care facilities across the country – estimates it would cost Indiana about $13 million to test every nursing home resident and employee.

Contact Brandon at bsmith@ipbs.org or follow him on Twitter at @brandonjsmith5.