AMA Opposes Effort to Allow Discrimination Against Patients
The Trump administration announced a final rule from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that reversed a policy that had banned health care providers from discriminating against LGBTQ patients, women and others.
Below is a statement from the AMA (@AmerMedicalAssn):
Statement attributable to:
Susan R. Bailey, M.D.
President, American Medical Association
“Respect for the diversity of patients is a fundamental value of the medical profession and is reflected in long-standing AMA policy opposing discrimination based on race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or a woman’s decisions about pregnancy, including termination.
“The federal government should never make it more difficult for individuals to access health care—during a pandemic or any other time.”
In a comment letter issued last year, the AMA noted, “This proposal marks the rare occasion in which a federal agency seeks to remove civil rights protections. It legitimizes unequal treatment of patients by not only providers, health care organizations, and insurers, but also by the government itself—and it will harm patients. Such policy should not be permitted by the U.S. government, let alone proposed by it.”
About the American Medical Association
The American Medical Association is the physicians’ powerful ally in patient care. As the only medical association that convenes 190+ state and specialty medical societies and other critical stakeholders, the AMA represents physicians with a unified voice to all key players in health care. The AMA leverages its strength by removing the obstacles that interfere with patient care, leading the charge to prevent chronic disease and confront public health crises and, driving the future of medicine to tackle the biggest challenges in health care.
