Staff Reports
Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) is advocating for patients’ rights and opposing healthcare institutions that decline treatment to individuals who have not been vaccinated against Covid-19. To safeguard the interests of vulnerable patients, Paul has put forward a bill that would prohibit healthcare facilities from receiving government funds if they refuse to treat unvaccinated people, including those who require organ transplants. The proposed “Covid-19 Vaccination Non-Discrimination Act” would also safeguard people from facing penalties for exercising their own choices regarding their health.
No American should be denied access to critical care based on a personal medical decision, yet tragically, many hospitals and other medical facilities continue to discriminate against those unvaccinated for COVID-19. https://t.co/SEFziHLuRg
— Senator Rand Paul (@SenRandPaul) February 16, 2023
During an interview with Fox News Digital, Paul shared his stance on the issue, stating that nobody in the United States should be deprived of essential medical treatment because of their personal medical decisions. However, several hospitals and medical institutions continue to discriminate against individuals who have not received the COVID-19 vaccine. Paul believes that the COVID-19 Vaccination Non-Discrimination Act would safeguard the rights of susceptible patients to make their healthcare choices and guarantee that federal taxpayer funds do not support healthcare facilities that turn away patients because of their COVID-19 vaccination status.
Representative Dan Bishop (R-N.C.) is in agreement with the proposed bill and considers the idea of withholding medical treatment based on vaccination status to be unjust. He affirmed that it is unreasonable for medical facilities to decline care to individuals due to their COVID-19 vaccination status, and it is particularly inappropriate for institutions that engage in such discrimination to receive federal funding.
The case of a 14-year-old girl in North Carolina illustrates the prevalence of such discriminatory practices, where she was refused a kidney transplant by Duke University Hospital because she had not received the COVID-19 vaccine. According to her mother, the hospital informed them that her daughter’s transplant would be withheld unless she got vaccinated. This is just one of the numerous examples where people have been deprived of medical attention because of their vaccination status.
The Covid-19 Vaccination Non-Discrimination Act would ensure that individuals are not denied access to medical care based on their personal decisions about their health. It would also prevent healthcare facilities from receiving taxpayer dollars if they refuse to treat unvaccinated patients. This legislation is an important step towards protecting the rights of vulnerable individuals and ensuring that all Americans have access to the medical care they need.
The preceding article is a summary of an article that originally appeared on Townhall
