Washington — The Home has handed laws that may remove a rule requiring well being care trade employers who take part in Medicare and Medicaid to make sure their staff are totally vaccinated towards COVID-19.
The Freedom for Well being Care Staff Act (H.R. 497) – authorized by a largely partisan 227-203 vote within the Republican-led Home on Jan. 31 – would nullify the vaccination requirement rule issued Nov. 5, 2021, by the Facilities for Medicare & Medicaid Providers and prohibit the issuance of any related rule.
In a press launch, Rep. Jeff Duncan (R-SC) – the invoice’s sponsor – calls the laws “a win for medical freedom and particular person liberty” and provides that the vaccine requirement exacerbated well being care staffing points.
“The frontline staff who had been praised as heroes within the early days of the pandemic had been pressured to get the shot or get out, whilst we struggled with a nationwide workers scarcity within the well being care trade,” Duncan mentioned.
Nonetheless, President Joe Biden has indicated he’ll veto the invoice ought to it attain his desk. Seven Democrats sided with the 220 Home Republicans who voted in advancing the invoice.
Amongst these opposed is Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. (D-NJ), who asserts that the invoice would put well being care staff, sufferers and their households in danger.
“COVID-19 vaccines are protected and efficient, and have been important to saving lives, rebuilding our economic system and defending the well being of our communities,” Pallone mentioned on the Home flooring. “We additionally know that vaccination of well being care suppliers has protected our well being care workforce and saved lives by making certain that sufferers can obtain protected and important well timed care.”
