Trump's order can allow VA doctors to refuse treatment to unmarried veterans, Democrats
The new guidelines regarding medical professionals in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) came after Donald Trump's January 30 executive order.
US President Donald Trump’s executive order can lead to doctors at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) denying treatment to unmarried veterans and Democrats. Documents obtained by the Guardian show that hospital new rules, based on Trump’s January 30 executive order, have already gone into effect at some VA medical centers. The guidelines will also apply to psychologists, dentists and several other professions.
Until the recent changes, VA hospitals’ bylaws said that medical staff could not discriminate against patients based on “race, age, color, sex, religion, national origin, politics, marital status or disability in any employment matter.” Now, several of those items, such as “national origin,” “politics” and “marital status” have been removed from the list.
VA doctors to deny treatment to unmarried veterans?
The new rules mean that while medical staff are still required to treat veterans regardless of race, sex, religion and sex, individual workers can decline to care for patients on the basis of personal characteristics that are not explicitly prohibited by federal law. In the new guidelines, language requiring healthcare professionals to treat patients regardless of their political leanings and marital status has been eliminated.
Moreover, doctors and other medical staff could be barred from working at VA hospitals based on their political party affiliation, union activity or marital status. The changes will also affect certified nurse practitioners, podiatrists, licensed clinical social workers and other professionals.
The move comes after Donald Trump’s January 30 executive order titled, “Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government.”
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VA on the new guidelines
The Department of Veterans Affairs is the largest integrated hospital system in the US, with over 170 hospitals and 1,000 clinics. It serves around nine million patients every year.
In an emailed response to questions by The Guardian, the VA press secretary, Peter Kasperowicz, did not deny that the new rules allowed doctors to refuse to treat veterans based on their beliefs or that medical professionals could be dismissed due to their marital status or political affiliation. He did state that “all eligible veterans will always be welcome at VA and will always receive the benefits and services they’ve earned under the law”.
Kasperowicz called the rule changes “a formality,” but confirmed that the guidelines were changed to comply with Trump’s executive order.
Democrats react to new rules
In a statement on its website, the Democratic National Committee called the new rules a part of Trump’s “ongoing campaign of revenge and retribution.” The statement alleged that mass firings and funding cuts have already impacted veterans and service members across the country. “Trump is using our military as pawns in his reckless political games,” the note added.
FAQs
1 What is the VA press secretary Peter Kasperowicz say about the new rules?
He told the Guardian that the new guidelines were a "formality" but did not dispute that individuals healthcare workers could refuse to treat veterans on the basis of political leanings or marital status.
2 What is the Department of Veterans Affairs?
It is a federal agency responsible for providing treatment, support and benefits to American veterans and their families.
