This bill, known as Doss's Act or the GIVE LIFE Act, makes two main changes to how COVID-19 vaccination affects healthcare decisions. First, it prevents hospitals and transplant programs from considering whether someone is vaccinated against COVID-19 when deciding who gets an organ transplant or who can donate organs. It also blocks them from using COVID-19 infection rates in a particular area as a factor in these decisions. Second, the bill requires most healthcare providers that accept Medicare and Medicaid insurance to treat patients regardless of their COVID-19 vaccination status—meaning they can't refuse to provide medical services to someone based on whether they're vaccinated. The main goal is to ensure that vaccination status doesn't become a barrier to receiving organs, donating organs, or accessing healthcare services at hospitals and clinics that receive federal funding. There are some exceptions, like skilled nursing facilities, which don't have to follow this rule.

Doss's Act

Cruz, Ted

Guarding against Injustice based on Vaccine-status, Ensuring Lifesaving Intervention For Everyone Act or the GIVE LIFE Act or Doss's Act This bill generally prohibits an individual's COVID-19 vaccination status from being taken into account for purposes of organ donation or receipt. The bill also prohibits (1) the incidence rate of COVID-19 in a geographic area from being considered in such decisions, and (2) the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network from establishing standards that incorporate any of these factors. Additionally, as a condition of Medicare and Medicaid participation, health care providers, with specified exceptions (e.g., skilled nursing facilities), may not deny services to individuals based on COVID-19 vaccination status.