Ten states file lawsuit attempting to block vaccine mandate for health care workers

Ten Republican state attorneys general filed a lawsuit Wednesday against the Biden administration seeking to block its COVID-19 vaccine mandate for health care workers.

According to The Hill, the lawsuit is being spearheaded by Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt, who called the mandate "unconstitutional and unlawful."

"Unfortunately, with this latest mandate from the Biden Administration, last year’s healthcare heroes are turning into this year’s unemployed," Schmitt said in a statement.

Schmitt added the mandate "could exacerbate healthcare staffing shortages to the point of collapse, especially in Missouri’s rural areas," if health care workers are terminated for not complying with the mandate.

At the center of this mandate is the recent ruling by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services which requires all workers at any facility that receives federal Medicare or Medicaid benefits to be vaccinated. There is no weekly testing option as an alternative to getting vaccinated.

The lawsuit notes that CMS' interim rule covers over 10 million workers, many of whom do not have direct contact with patients. 

The states that joined Missouri's lawsuit include Nebraska, Arkansas, Kansas, Iowa, Wyoming, Alaska, South Dakota, North Dakota, and New Hampshire.