Questions about who'll pay for nursing home staff tests, other decisions loom

May 21--With more than 5,800 nursing home deaths from Covid-19 across New York State, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo wants all nursing home employees to be tested for the coronavirus twice a week -- and he wants health insurers to pay for it. But will they?

Nursing homes say they can't afford to do it themselves. But health insurance companies and some union-funded health plans don't believe they should be on the hook for testing workers who do not have any symptoms of the virus.

The testing is estimated to cost more than $40 million a week.

Thursday marked the third day of Western New York's gradual reopening from the state's coronavirus shutdown order, and some things started to feel normal.

Paula's Donuts reopened three stores.

But many decisions still felt far away.

Cuomo said he still can't say yet whether schools and college campuses will reopen in the fall.

"We don't want to make that decision until we have more facts, and as the facts keep changing, prudence dictates that you don't make a decision until it's timely," he said.

In the meantime, summer school will be conducted online.

Canalside's popular outdoor fitness programs and its bike ferry will not be offered this summer.

The Buffalo Diocese released regulations to guide pastors and parish administrators when Catholic churches are able to reopen for liturgies, which under current reopening rules likely won't be until the end of June, when mass gatherings will be allowed again.

As county leaders warned that an uptick in hospitalizations over the weekend could slow the reopening process, between 100 and 200 people gathered in Niagara Square to call for the state to open everything up now.

Gina Dibble walked around the square alone, holding a sign that said "Enough is enough. It's time to open back up."

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