An executive directive issued by President Donald Trump is drawing significant attention due to its potential impact on healthcare services at Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities. The order, dated January 30, permits VA healthcare providers to refuse treatment based on factors such as a patient’s marital status or political affiliation.
The initial intention behind the directive was to curtail gender-affirming healthcare options for transgender veterans, but as noted by The Guardian report, its ambiguous wording has led some VA hospitals to interpret it as allowing denial of care to any demographic not explicitly safeguarded under federal law.
Federal civil rights protections specifically cover race, color, religion, and sex. This gap in coverage has left other groups, such as unmarried veterans or those with certain political beliefs, vulnerable to potential discrimination in healthcare settings.
A representative from the advocacy group VoteVets voiced strong disapproval, stating, “Trump’s VA just allowed doctors to deny care to Democrats, unmarried veterans, among other groups. It’s unethical, authoritarian, and every one of us should be outraged.” (source)
The scope of the order extends beyond doctors, encompassing chiropractors, nurse practitioners, and social workers, who may also refuse care under the new guidelines.
This policy shift coincides with ongoing discussions between President Trump and Republican lawmakers on a tax and budget bill aimed at reducing Medicaid spending by at least $625 billion. Medicaid is a crucial source of health insurance coverage for nearly 2 million veterans.
The Congressional Budget Office, a nonpartisan entity, projects that the Medicaid cuts could result in the loss of health coverage for at least 7.6 million Americans. This potential loss threatens the financial viability of many rural hospitals, which predominantly rely on Medicaid funding. Approximately 25% of veterans reside in these rural areas, heightening the potential impact on their access to medical care.
VA press secretary Peter Kasperowicz did not contest The Guardian’s findings. However, a social media account linked to the White House called the report a “vicious lie.” The statement did not elaborate on any inaccuracies in the report.
Senator Patty Murray from Washington, a member of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, criticized the policy, labeling it “disgusting.” She expressed her concerns in a statement, saying, “President Trump is going out of his way to discriminate against veterans and ripping up the sacred contract we make with our veterans that we will take care of them when they come home, and that they are entitled to the best health care our nation has to offer. This is bigotry, plain and simple, and it cannot be allowed to stand—and I sincerely hope my Republican colleagues would agree.”
Attempts to obtain comments from a White House spokesperson regarding this matter were unsuccessful.
The post Trump order lets VA doctors deny care based on politics, marital status appeared first on American Journal News.
