Joan Rivers' NYC Clinic Deemed 'Deficient,' Could Lose License
— -- The New York City clinic where Joan Rivers underwent the procedures that led to her death could lose its federal accreditation in a matter of months, according to state authorities.
ABC News has obtained the results of the New York State Health Department investigation into Yorkville Endoscopy. The investigation, which was routine, started the day after Rivers died and ended Oct. 9.
It found lapses in four categories required for accreditation: governing body and management, surgical services, medical staff and patient rights. Specifics were not immediately disclosed.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the federal subsidiary of the Department of Health and Human Services that certifies ambulatory surgery facilities, notified the clinic that "Yorkville Endoscopy LLC no longer meets the requirements for participation as a supplier of services in the Medicare program."
Accreditation will be terminated Jan. 7, 2015, unless the clinic can prove it has corrected the deficiencies, according to the state Health Department.
"The Center has been working collaboratively with appropriate government regulatory agencies to ensure complete compliance with all regulations," a spokesperson for the clinic told ABC News in a statement today. "The Center remains open and will continue to collaborate with all accreditation and government regulatory agencies to ensure quality care."
Rivers died on Sept. 4 at the age 81, just a few days after going into cardiac arrest at Yorkville Endoscopy. On Thursday, the New York City medical examiner's office confirmed to ABC News that the comedian died of low blood oxygen during a procedure to treat voice changes and acid reflux. She had been sedated with propofol.
"We continue to be saddened by our tragic loss and grateful for the enormous outpouring of love and support from around the world," her daughter Melissa Rivers told ABC News on Thursday. "We have no further comment at this time."
Melissa Rivers did not respond to a request for further comment today.
