Bill sparked by KCRA’s ‘Dignity Delayed’ heads to governor’s desk
SACRAMENTO COUNTY, Calif. —
A bill sparked by KCRA 3’s Emmy-winning investigation, “Dignity Delayed,” is now headed to the governor’s desk.
Assembly Bill 2598 was introduced in response to allegations that Dignity Health hospitals failed to notify families and county officials about patient deaths for months, sometimes even years. Instead, patients’ bodies were left to decompose in cold storage at an off-site morgue without a death certificate.
The backlog was linked to deaths as early as 2020, and it continued for several years, involving more than 100 patients at hospitals including Mercy San Juan and Mercy General.
Dignity Health attributed delays to staffing issues and the COVID-19 pandemic. The organization is also fighting civil lawsuits from two families who said they even reported their loved ones missing to law enforcement and were still left in the dark.
Assembly Bill 2598, introduced earlier this year by Assemblymember Maggie Krell, outlines penalties for hospitals that fail to notify next of kin or county officials. Family members impacted by the delays spoke in support of the bill during its introduction.
“There was nothing really before to hold them accountable. So, I think it’s a first step in making sure that things get back on the right track and that this doesn’t happen again,” Ginger Congi said.
Under the bill, state regulators could fine hospitals $200 per day, up to $50,000, for delays in notifying families.
When hospitals cannot identify next of kin, they must notify the county public administrator. However, the KCRA 3 investigation found Dignity Health did not do that in a timely manner. So, the bill would also make it clear that the hospital has two business days to do that, or it could be liable for burial or cremation costs too.
The bill passed the Assembly and Senate without opposition. The governor has until the end of September to sign or veto the legislation.
(Video below: Dignity Delayed: A 1-year investigation of body backlog at Sacramento-area hospitals)
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