Lummis Cosponsors Legislation to Push Back on COVID-19 Vaccine Mandates in Hospitals

U.S. Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) joined Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) in introducing the COVID-19 Vaccination Non-Discrimination Act to ensure that people in Wyoming receive the best health care possible even if they have not received the COVID-19 vaccine. Senator Lummis said she cosponsored the bill after reports surfaced that health care facilities are denying patients lifesaving treatments, such as organ transplants, if they are not vaccinated against COVID-19. The legislation will prohibit federal taxpayer dollars from supporting health care facilities that deny care to patients based on their COVID-19 vaccination status.

Lummis said the decision to receive the COVID-19 vaccine is a personal decision, one every individual in Wyoming should be able to make for themselves, and that personal decision should not dictate whether or not one has access to, oftentimes, lifesaving health care, and that institutions that receive federal funding have no reason to deny care to the people of Wyoming solely based on their personal choice to get vaccinated.

Wyoming has one of the lowest COVID-19 vaccination rates in the country. The American Medical Association (AMA) has urged physicians to refrain from denying care to patients based on vaccination status. If health care providers continue to deny care to those unvaccinated for COVID-19, thousands of Wyoming patients could be at risk of being denied emergency services, such as organ transplants.