SF Mayor Breed, officials announce legal action to save Laguna Honda Hospital
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- The city of San Francisco is taking legal action against the federal government to stop the closure of Laguna Honda Hospital and Rehabilitation Center.
"This is a matter of life or death," Mayor London Breed said.
RELATED: SF's Laguna Honda Hospital loses Medicare, Medicaid funding amid compliance issues
Attorney David Chiu announced a pair of lawsuits Thursday morning to keep the city-run nursing home open. It's set to shut down next month.
The facility lost its certification in April after it failed to meet basic standards of care by federal regulations.
Chiu says while the facility has had its challenges, the city has bent over backwards to address issues -- only to be met with resistance.
"We are here because the federal government abruptly ordered Laguna Honda's closure, the transfer and discharge to close to 700 patients and the end of its federal funding by the end of September 13, a little more than a month away," Chiu said. "Our lawsuit describes how the federal government has put Laguna Honda and our city in an impossible situation. We are asking for the federal government simply to continue funding until the appeals process in complete and all patients can be safely relocated.
Chiu says in recent weeks, nine patients have died after being transferred or discharged.
The lawsuits were filed on behalf of Laguna Honda patients and the city and county of San Francisco.
Watch the video in the player above for more on the lawsuits.
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