4w ago

‘Extremely disturbing and unethical’: new rules allow VA doctors to refuse to treat Democrats, unmarried veterans

www.theguardian.com

U.S. News @beehaw.org

Powderhorn @beehaw.org

4w ago

‘Extremely disturbing and unethical’: new rules allow VA doctors to refuse to treat Democrats, unmarried veterans

www.theguardian.com /us-news/2025/jun/16/va-doctors-refuse-treat-patients

politics @lemmy.world

Optional @lemmy.world

4w ago

‘Extremely disturbing and unethical’: new rules allow VA doctors to refuse to treat Democrats, unmarried veterans

www.theguardian.com /us-news/2025/jun/16/va-doctors-refuse-treat-patients

20 comments

Any doctor who actually denies treatment over political affiliation or marital status should immediately and irrevocably lose their license.
- I'm pretty sure that actually doing this would violate their medical licensing, regardless of VA rules.
- Just sue them into oblivion, the money won't come from the taxpayers this time.
"Oh you voted Republican? Sorry you voted to deny this care, goodbye"
"Wait not like that"
Of course that won't actually happen, because an ethical doctor would treat people regardless.
- Doctors could just stop working for VA hospitals cuz they don’t want to worry about being fired due to the same reasons.
  Sorry veterans, your president has disincentivized doctors wanting to work in VA hospitals.
- "the best I can do is horse medicine"
Denying care to veterans (i.e. people potentially with extensive weapons and combat training and, perhaps desperately, in need of healing to feel okay and socially stable) seems like a great way for health care professionals to find themselves at the business end of anger-fueled reactions.
- It's obviously by design. They're hoping the affected vets will take it out on the medical personnel. And the worst part is they're probably right.
  
  Violence, especially "left-wing violence", is the fastest way for them to tighten their grip on the reins of power. Just as Israel bombs Hamas with complete disregard for civilian lives the Trump admin could start arresting and deporting anyone with "far left" ties because it's too risky to just let those people walk free or they're giving "aid or comfort" to domestic terrorists.
Conservatives are traitors to our nation and enemies of the American people.
Don't medical personnel have to take a Hippocratic oath? And doesn't that supersede changing laws?
I suppose in real life, cash is king, and morality is decided by the amount of digits in your bank account.
- Sort of. We're already seeing it with abortions; doctors are doing the best they can to give people necessary care, while also trying to not violate the law.
  This has already resulted in deaths.
  And honestly I don't blame them. Even if they break the law to save one life, they can't treat anyone when they're jailed.
If only there were signs that this was going to happen.... buy the ticket, take the ride!
- Fuck this sentiment.
  Only about a 3rd of us “bOuGhT tHe TiCkEt” so the rest of us get to complain all we want.
  
  Active duty and former military voted overwhelmingly for this.
  Sorry for the folks who got fucked over, but as for the ones who voted for it, enjoy that bed.
  
  The third that didn't vote are just as guilty as the third who voted for this because they saw what was possible and decided they didn't care if it happened.
  
  Just like the rest of us who are not in that country but have to deal with your choices are free to bitch and sling mud.
  
  And another third stayed home because both tickets were same or something.
I was initially confused about the source of this report, as all it says is that "The new rules, obtained by the Guardian [...]" Without sharing the new rules they obtained verbatim or linking to any VA guidance or statements or anything actually useful...
But it looks like this is more a removal of patients' protections rather than an explicit allowance of discrimination. Not that there's a practical difference between those things. Anyways if anyone is confused on how this exactly happened like I was, this yahoo article seemed to explain it better IMO:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/va-doctors-refuse-treat-dems-151419852.html?guccounter=1
VA hospital bylaws previously barred medical staff from discriminating against patients “on the basis of race, age, color, sex, religion, national origin, politics, marital status or disability in any employment matter,”
...
But now, in response to President Donald Trump’s January executive order on “gender ideology,” “national origin,” “politics,” and “marital status” have been removed from the list

20 comments