Medicare headquarters closed after bacteria that cause Legionnaire’s disease found in pipes

The headquarters of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in Baltimore shuttered after a dangerous bacteria that causes Legionnaire’s disease was found in the water supply last week.

The building shut down on Friday, according to The Washington Post, which first reported the incident. Staff are now working remotely and the facility is expected to remain closed for weeks, the agency told the Post.

Federal agency officials told the outlet the decision to close the agency headquarters was precautionary, adding they did not know of any workers who had become sick from the bacteria.

The General Services Administration came across the bacteria when it was testing new plumbing fixtures, as the facility was being renovated, according to the outlet. It’s unclear how many Medicare or General Services Administration employees could have been exposed.

“The health and safety of the CMS workforce is our top priority. In an abundance of caution, we have closed our location in Baltimore until the situation is resolved,” Medicare officials told the outlet in a statement. “CMS’ work will continue seamlessly without disruption.”

The Independent has contacted the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, its umbrella agency the Department of Health and Human Services, and the General Services Administration for comment.

The centers provides oversight of the Medicare program, the federal part of the Medicaid program, among other health services. There is no indicator that anyone’s coverage would be affected by the headquarter’s shuttering.

Legionnaire’s disease is a severe form of pneumonia that is caused by the Legionella bacteria, according to MayoClinic. The disease is often contracted from inhaling the bacteria from water or soil.

A 2017 CMS memo states that outbreaks of the illness “have been linked to poorly maintained water systems in buildings with large or complex water systems including hospitals and long-term care facilities.” Ironically, the memo said that facilities that were “unable to demonstrate measures to minimize the risk of the disease could lose Medicare funding for not complying with its policy.