How States Are Forcing Ideology Into Healthcare

Is your state pushing divisive and discriminatory policies onto healthcare? It’s a question every patient should ask. At least three states made race a factor in determining who gets access to potentially lifesaving COVID treatments. Activists won’t rest until every state takes the same path, and not just on COVID.

Take New York. The Empire State recently issued guidelines for healthcare providers regarding monoclonal antibodies and oral antivirals – two popular yet often scarce forms of treatment amid the pandemic. The guidelines state that people with certain risk factors get priority access, and shockingly, one of the factors is being “non-White race.” Why, you ask? Because of “longstanding systemic health and social inequities.” That’s radical ideology talking, not medical science.

It’s a similar story in Minnesota. There, patients were given access to certain COVID treatments if they had enough points in a scoring system. Simply being non-White counted for two points – half the number needed. Utah also assigned two points to minority patients. The name for that is racial preferences, and it’s the opposite of the personalized medical care that every patient deserves.

The good news is that Utah and Minnesota backed down after the broader public caught wind. They promptly ditched discriminatory, race-based rankings. Sadly, New York persisted in making racial discrimination an official state policy – with the support of the American Medical Association, no less!

The bad news is that this is a sign of what’s to come across all of healthcare and every type of illness. Recognizing that reality is essential to stopping such discrimination in your state.