Texas AG rules HHSC should release COVID-19 nursing home data

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office ruled the Texas Health and Human Services Commission should disclose most of its data on COVID-19 in nursing homes to the public, according to a July 6 ruling.

Paxton’s office rejected most of the arguments the commission made to conceal COVID-19 outbreak data related to nursing homes, according to a news release from the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas, which has fought for the records. The information that may be released includes the names of specific nursing homes with COVID-19 cases, according to FOIFT and the AG’s ruling.

Simply saying the name and location of nursing homes and long-term care facilities with COVID-19 cases doesn’t qualify as individually-identifiable information, so it should be released, the order said. (read more)