Respecting Our Frontline Workers Act

Bill: 117-s-3225
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Lee, Mike [R-UT]
Introduced: 2021-11-17
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Cardiovascular and respiratory health

Child health

Emergency medical services and trauma care

Health care costs and insurance

Health care coverage and access

Immunology and vaccination

Infectious and parasitic diseases

Medicaid

Medicare

Poverty and welfare assistance
Latest action: action_date: 2021-11-17
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Summaries:
action_date: 2021-11-17
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><b>Respecting Our Frontline Workers Act</b></p> <p>This bill prohibits federal agencies from requiring the staff of health care facilities or other settings to be vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to participate in Medicare, Medicaid, or the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). </p> <p>On November 5, 2021, the Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services issued a rule titled <i>Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Omnibus COVID-19 Health Care Staff Vaccination</i>. The rule requires health care providers, as a condition of Medicare and Medicaid participation, to ensure that staff are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.</p>

tv_txt: II 117th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 3225 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES November 17, 2021 Mr. Lee introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance A BILL To prohibit any Federal agency from requiring that staff in health care facilities be vaccinated against COVID–19 as a condition of the facility participating in the Medicare, Medicaid, or CHIP programs.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Respecting Our Frontline Workers Act . 2. Prohibition on requiring COVID–19 vaccination for staff of health care facilities as a condition of participation in the Medicare, Medicaid, or CHIP programs Neither the head of any Federal agency nor any officer or employee of such an agency shall establish or enforce any requirement that the staff of any health care facility or other health care setting receive a COVID–19 vaccine as a condition of participation in any of the following programs: (1) The Medicare program under title XVIII of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq. ). (2) The Medicaid program under title XIX of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq. ). (3) The Children's Health Insurance Program under title XXI of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1397aa et seq. ).