Murray: New Trump Administration Rule Sabotages Health Care By Encouraging Discrimination

Trump Administration moves to expand policies allowing health care providers to refuse patients care on ideological grounds

Change is likely to undermine access to care for the LGBTQ community, people of color, and women

Murray wrote to the Health Department last year outlining her objections to the proposed rule

Murray: “Instead of fighting to lower costs or protect people’s care, President Trump is continuing his sabotage agenda by encouraging discrimination in health care.”

Washington, D.C.  – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, released the following statement in response to the Trump Administration’s final rule to expand providers’ grounds for refusing patients care on the basis of the providers’ personal beliefs—a move likely to undermine access to care for patients who already face health care disparities such as those in the LGBTQ community, people of color, and women.

“Instead of fighting to lower costs or protect people’s care, President Trump is continuing his sabotage agenda by encouraging discrimination in health care. His latest harmful rule once again takes our country in entirely the wrong direction and makes it harder for people to get the care they need—this time by putting up ideological barriers for communities who already face major health care disparities. Democrats believe in making health care more accessible and affordable so people across our country can get the care they need no matter who they are, how much they make, or what someone else’s personal beliefs might be—and we’re going to keep fighting to advance that vision.”

Senator Murray led Democrats in sending a letter to Secretary Azar outlining their concerns and opposition to the proposed rule last year.

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