🚨 New VA Rules Allow Doctors to Deny Care to Democrats, Unmarried Vets

A Guardian investigation has uncovered new rules at the Department of Veterans Affairs that explicitly remove protections against discrimination based on political affiliation and marital status—allowing doctors to refuse treatment to veterans they personally object to.

The policy changes stem from a Trump executive order issued in January and now apply to:

• Medical doctors, psychologists, and social workers
• Hiring and firing decisions based on political party, marital status, or union membership
• Clinical environments where words like “transgender” and “gender-affirming” are now banned

🧨 These changes:

• Were made without consulting VA doctors or clinical staff
• Violate Joint Commission standards for medical staff governance
• Have already gone into effect at several VA facilities
• Are especially dangerous for women, LGBTQ+ vets, and MST survivors in rural areas

Medical ethics experts and former VA leadership say this opens the door to discrimination based on nearly any personal belief that isn’t specifically protected by federal law.

“It seems on its face an effort to exert political control over the VA medical staff.” – Dr. Arthur Caplan

📣 For AFGE-represented employees, this raises serious concerns about:

• Workplace retaliation tied to union membership or political views
• Disciplinary risks for refusing unethical orders
• Loss of patient trust and clinical integrity

📎 Read the full Guardian report

‘Extremely disturbing and unethical’: new rules allow VA doctors to refuse to treat Democrats, unmarried veterans | Trump administration | The Guardian

Trump order allows VA staff to decline providing healthcare to patients based on political affiliation or marital status

www.theguardian.com