Michigan Undercounted COVID-19 Nursing Home Deaths by 30 Percent, Auditor Finds

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer addresses the state during a speech in Lansing, Mich., on March 2, 2021. Michigan Office of the Governor via AP

The administration of Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer underreported the number of nursing home residents who died from COVID-19 by 30 percent, according to a report by the state’s auditor general.

Auditor General Doug Ringler has been haggling with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services for months over the numbers and how to count them. His final report was made public on Jan. 17.