Republicans introduce 'COVID-19 Vaccination Non-Discrimination Act'

Sen. Rand Paul and Rep. Dan Bishop, Republicans, introduced the "COVID-19 Vaccination Non-Discrimination Act" to prohibit federal funds from being given to medical facilities that refuse to treat patients based on their COVID-19 vaccination status.

Paul, a Kentucky Republican, said his legislation would "protect the rights of vulnerable patients to make their own health care choices and ensure that federal taxpayer dollars do not support facilities that turn away patients based on their COVID-19 vaccination status."

Bishop, a North Carolina Republican who introduced the bill in the House, said, "There’s no reason that medical facilities should deny care to people based on their COVID-19 vaccination status, and there’s certainly no reason for institutions that do so to receive any federal funding."

The American Medical Association warned in 2021 that physicians should not deny patients medical care based on their vaccination status.

Some hospitals, such as the University of San Francisco Medical Center, require patients to be fully vaccinated before they are able to receive an organ transplant. Late last year, a 14-year-old girl in North Carolina was denied a kidney transplant by Duke University Hospital because of her vaccination status, Paul said.

Cosponsors of the Senate bill include GOP Sens. Ron Johnson (Wisc.), Mike Lee (Utah), Tom Cotton (Ark.), Marco Rubio (Fla.), Cynthia Lummis (Wyo.), J.D. Vance (Ohio), Mike Braun (Ind.), and Kevin Cramer (N.D.).

Cosponsors of the House legislation include GOP Reps. Ken Buck (Colo.), Richard McCormick (Ga.), Claudia Tenney (N.Y.), Andrew Ogles (Tenn.), Daniel Webster (Fla.), Jeff Duncan (S.C.), Diana Harshbarger (Tenn.), Paul Gosar (Ariz.), Mary Miller (Ill.), Anna Paulina Luna (Fla.) and Scott Perry (Penn.).