1. United States
2. Colo.
3. Letter

The Department of Veterans Affairs' new guidelines allowing medical staff to refuse treatment to veterans based on political affiliation, marital status, or other personal characteristics are deeply concerning and unacceptable. Veterans have served and sacrificed for our nation, and they deserve to receive high-quality healthcare without discrimination. Denying care based on factors unrelated to their medical needs is a violation of the fundamental principles of medical ethics and professionalism. Healthcare decisions should be made solely based on clinical considerations, not personal beliefs or characteristics of the patient. Introducing such biases into the provision of care undermines the integrity of the medical profession and the trust that veterans place in the VA healthcare system. It is essential that all veterans, regardless of their political views, marital status, or other personal attributes, have equal access to the care they have earned through their service. I urge the VA to immediately rescind these discriminatory guidelines and reaffirm its commitment to providing comprehensive, non-discriminatory healthcare to all veterans. Our nation's heroes deserve nothing less.