Since the inauguration, the current White House has not made a secret of its hostility towards its political opponents, or LGBTQ+ Americans. Now however, reports indicate the Trump administration is proposing rules that would eliminate language which prevents VA providers from denying military veterans healthcare based on their marital status and political affiliation.
Representatives for Veterans Affairs have insisted that no “eligible veterans” or “qualified potential employees” would ever be the subject of discrimination even under these new rules, but now many of the explicit protections afforded to veterans have been removed, including for “national origin.”
The changes are the latest in a string of actions which have left advocates certain the administration is using Pride Month as an opportunity to inflict cruelty upon LGBTQIA+ Americans.
For veterans living in Illinois, Governor JB Pritzker has directed key state agencies to take every available action to protect veterans’ access to care.
“Our nation’s heroes put their lives on the line to protect our way of life, and we owe them every bit of care and support we can offer,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “The Trump administration wants to deny our veterans healthcare because of who they love or vote for – and the State of Illinois will do everything in our power to protect the benefits they have earned.”
At the direction of Governor Pritzker, the State of Illinois is already taking action to push back against these reported new VA discriminatory measures, including providing resources to veterans and fighting to ensure their healthcare remains protected. These efforts include:
- The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation issued a statement reminding licensed medical professionals that it will continue to enforce anti-discrimination laws. IDFPR has also begun internal monitoring for complaints or reports related to this issue so that they are ready to respond swiftly and appropriately. IDFPR will continue encouraging patients and consumers who experience discrimination or medical misconduct to file complaints by following the instructions on IDFPR’s website.
- The Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs issued a notice to its Veterans Services Officers requesting that they continue to stand ready to meet with or take calls from Illinois Veterans with any reports of discrimination. IDVA will also reach out to veterans’ organizations and other partners to share resources about reporting discrimination.
- The Illinois Department of Human Rights will continue to monitor and enforce laws protecting people from discrimination, including on the basis of religion, race, military status, or marital status. All Illinoisans are protected by the Illinois Human Rights Act, including in the context of public accommodations, such as healthcare and government services. While IDHS has limited authority over federal facilities, they encourage anyone encountering potential discrimination to file a charge with IDHR so that the State can explore all possible remedies.
IDVA Veteran Service Officers across the state are positioned to provide assistance to any veteran facing discrimination or denial of care.
Illinoisans are encouraged to contact the IDVA hotline at 1-800-437-9824 to report any such incidents.
“Our country has a sacred contract with veterans to take care of them when they return home. Service members swore the same oath to defend our country regardless of their marital status or political views,” said Terry Prince, Director of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs. “In Illinois, we are deeply committed to protecting our veterans from discrimination and providing access to the best health care our nation has to offer. Illinois will continue to fight every day to give every veteran the benefits they earned.”
