The potential for a massive cutoff of Medicare and Medicaid patients by their anti-vaccine doctors is in the air.
The New York Times gives the example of Dr. Calvin Blount, who has practiced family medicine for more than 20 years in Destin, Fla. He said there are still too many unanswered questions about the long-term impact of the vaccine. Now, he is facing a new federal policy that could undermine his practice. More than half his 420 patients use Medicare.
“For myself and the majority of my patients, the vaccine is a 'hell no',” said the 53-year-old physician. “Quite honestly, I don’t know what is going to happen. We have a federal law that contradicts the state law, and we don’t know which side will prevail. If the federal ruling prevails, my options are to get the vaccination, which I am not going to do, or I will be forced to give up my patients who are on Medicare.”
Despite the court ruling, the Times reported, many nursing homes urged the administration to rethink the requirement and instead allow them the option of testing workers.
“When we are in the midst of another Covid surge, caregivers in vaccine-hesitant communities may walk off the job because of this policy, further threatening access to care for thousands of our nation’s seniors,” said Mark Parkinson, chief executive of the American Health Care Association, which represents nursing homes.
The New York Times gives the example of Dr. Calvin Blount, who has practiced family medicine for more than 20 years in Destin, Fla. He said there are still too many unanswered questions about the long-term impact of the vaccine. Now, he is facing a new federal policy that could undermine his practice. More than half his 420 patients use Medicare.
“For myself and the majority of my patients, the vaccine is a 'hell no',” said the 53-year-old physician. “Quite honestly, I don’t know what is going to happen. We have a federal law that contradicts the state law, and we don’t know which side will prevail. If the federal ruling prevails, my options are to get the vaccination, which I am not going to do, or I will be forced to give up my patients who are on Medicare.”
Despite the court ruling, the Times reported, many nursing homes urged the administration to rethink the requirement and instead allow them the option of testing workers.
“When we are in the midst of another Covid surge, caregivers in vaccine-hesitant communities may walk off the job because of this policy, further threatening access to care for thousands of our nation’s seniors,” said Mark Parkinson, chief executive of the American Health Care Association, which represents nursing homes.
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