Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) pulled no punches in attacking those in health care who are denying essential treatment to those who choose not to subject themselves to the new COVID-19 vaccines.
Paul, himself a medical doctor, is leading the charge to hold facilities receiving public funding accountable for preventing treatments that include organ transplants.
Senator @RandPaul has introduced legislation to prevent vaccine discrimination and to hold accountable those who do discriminate. pic.twitter.com/0xdRhAGPrH
— Americans for Limited Government (@LimitGovt) February 14, 2023
The Republican introduced a measure on Tuesday to do exactly that. His proposal would deny government funding for hospitals that will not administer needed care to patients because of their lack of COVID-19 vaccinations.
In doing this, he aimed to protect patients’ right to choose without adverse consequences.
Paul said that “no American should be denied access to critical care based on a personal medical decision.” He then called out hospitals and other medical facilities for blatant discrimination against those who resisted being vaccinated against COVID-19.
His COVID-19 Vaccination Non-Discrimination Act would block federal taxpayers’ funds from being dispersed to facilities that turn away the unvaccinated for medical care.
Despite the recommendation of the American Medical Association (AMA) to continue to treat the unvaxxed, there are reports across the country of patients being rejected. One instance involved a girl in North Carolina who was denied a kidney transplant.
The prospective organ recipient said she was turned away by Duke University Hospital due to her vaccination status. She already had the virus and contended that she was now immune.
In December Chrissy Hicks, the mother of 14-year-old Yulia Hicks told Fox News that they dealt with a Duke employee who confirmed why her daughter was being denied critical medical treatment.
Hicks said she told the worker that “basically you’re telling us that if she does not get the vaccine, then she’s not getting a transplant.” The employee then reportedly said, “Yes, that’s the one thing that is holding us up.”
Duke Health officials declined to comment on the specific case but expressed their sympathy to families confronted with a serious illness involving a loved one.
They also asserted their commitment “to making organ transplant(s) accessible to as many eligible patients as possible.” Whether that includes those who choose to not accept the new COVID jabs is the subject of much current debate.
