Recent developments have sparked significant debate regarding an executive order issued by President Donald Trump, which has given doctors at Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities the discretion to withhold care based on a veteran’s marital status or political beliefs.
While the order, dated January 30, was originally aimed at restricting gender-affirming treatments for transgender veterans, its broad language has resulted in some VA hospitals advising that care could be denied to groups not protected by federal law, as detailed in a report by The Guardian.
The existing civil rights protections under federal law specifically cover race, color, religion, and sex. This omission has led to concerns about potential discrimination against Democrats, unmarried veterans, and other groups, a stance highlighted by VoteVets: “Trump’s VA just allowed doctors to deny care to Democrats, unmarried veterans, among other groups,” the advocacy group stated on social media. “It’s unethical, authoritarian, and every one of us should be outraged.”
Beyond physicians, this order also impacts other medical professionals, including chiropractors, nurse practitioners, and social workers, who may now have the authority to deny treatment.
This policy shift occurs amidst ongoing discussions between Trump and Republican lawmakers over a tax and budget bill that proposes significant reductions in Medicaid funding—potentially by $625 billion. This program is a crucial source of health insurance for nearly 2 million veterans.
The Congressional Budget Office, known for its nonpartisan analysis, predicts that the Medicaid cuts could result in the loss of health insurance for at least 7.6 million Americans. This reduction in funding could jeopardize the operation of numerous rural hospitals that heavily rely on Medicaid.
Given that approximately 25% of veterans reside in rural areas, these changes could disproportionately affect them.
VA press secretary Peter Kasperowicz did not contest the information reported by The Guardian. However, a social media post associated with the White House labeled the report as a “vicious lie.” No further clarification was provided.
Senator Patty Murray of Washington, a member of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, expressed her disapproval, describing the policy as “disgusting.” In a statement, she asserted, “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.”
At the time of publication, the White House had not responded to requests for comments.
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