Chicago Lakeshore Hospital, a psychiatric facility, has closed, roughly four months after CMS shut off its Medicare and Medicaid funding, according to ProPublica.
The hospital cited COVID-19 as the reason for the closure. A spokesperson told ProPublica the closure is temporary but didn't provide a timeline for when the facility would reopen. All patients have been discharged and only "skeletal staff" remain at the hospital, the spokesperson said.
The hospital lost its Medicare and Medicaid funding in late December after a CMS inspection revealed serious deficiencies that were a threat to patients' health and safety. The termination came after Cook County's public guardian filed a lawsuit against the hospital on behalf of children who said they were abused while in state protective custody at the facility.
The hospital can appeal the termination and seek reinstatement of its Medicare and Medicaid funding. A CMS spokesperson told ProPublica that the agency is not aware of any appeals or new applications from the hospital.
Access the full ProPublica article here.
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