Bill will trigger prolonged mask wearing and visitation limitations

First, do no harm. Those simple words guide the steady hand of physicians, nurses, caregivers and others that care for those in need of healthcare services. These words are sacred to all who provide healing and care for the sick and vulnerable.

Unfortunately, some in the Montana Legislature have voted to strip away the ability of nursing homes, hospitals, home health and hospice agencies, health clinics and physician practices, among others, from protecting patients, workers and visitors from highly infectious diseases. House Bill 702, which passed the Senate and will be considered by the House once again, prohibits the entire healthcare field from using long-held practices aimed at limiting the introduction of highly infectious diseases into healthcare environments. HB 702 flies in the face of reasonable standards of care. Now is not the time for lawmakers to add barriers to our ability to keep patients safe.

Current medical guidance and federal rules determine how healthcare organizations approach infection prevention in the healthcare setting for diseases like, hepatitis B, MMR, Varicella (chickenpox), DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis), and Meningococcal. Why is this important? Healthcare workers are at risk for exposure to serious, and sometimes deadly, diseases. Protecting employees, patients, and community members by confirming vaccine status should remain an option for healthcare facilities.

HB 702 takes away the ability of all healthcare facilities—many of which are private businesses--to choose whether or not they will require vaccinations of its staff. This bill goes way beyond COVID vaccinations. It is a backdoor to prohibiting any use of vaccines designed to prevent the spread of highly infectious diseases to our grandparents, spouses, children, friends or co-workers.

In Montana, we would not think twice about wearing our blaze orange vest during hunting season or a hard hat on a construction site. These actions limit potential injury or accidental death. Healthcare organizations approach the use of vaccines in the same manner. They protect our healthcare workers, patients and visitors. Healthcare organizations in our state have long-standing established exceptions for religious or health reasons form vaccine requirements. Let’s be clear: if HB 702 passes, visitors will be severely limited from seeing their loved ones at a hospital or a nursing home. Instead of turning the corner, we’ll see prolonged and indefinite continued use of masks by healthcare workers.

However, the Montana House has the ability to ensure we protect patients, healthcare workers and visitors. They can vote to move HB 702 into a free conference committee and limit the bill to COVID-19 only, or exempt healthcare organizations from the bill like they did for education and childcare centers. If the legislature does not fix HB 702, mask requirements and visitation prohibitions will not go away. The sick and elderly, as well as those that care for them, are equally at risk as those who care for our youngest. Fathers being present at the birth of their children or family visits to grandparents in nursing homes could be prohibited. This is what HB 702 will create. Join us in calling on the Montana Legislature to stand down on HB 702.

Rich Rasmussen is President and CEO of the Montana Hospital Association, a nonprofit organization with more than 80 members.