Mt. Vernon, VA – Today the Virginia House of Delegates passed Senator Scott Surovell’s legislation to prohibit healthcare discrimination. SB 1289 has now passed out of the Senate and House of Delegates. The legislation now awaits Governor Ralph Northam’s signature to become law.
This legislation revises the Health Virginia Fairness Act by prohibiting healthcare providers from discriminating against patients on the basis of race, sex, sexual orientation or mechanism of injury. The bill stipulates that in every contract between a healthcare provider and an insurance company, there must be a provision that prohibits the medical provider from discriminating against their patients who are involved in litigation or were injured as the result of a car accident.
“This legislation is important because it’s come to my attention over the last 24 years that there are some providers who screen out potential patients based on the fact that they were in an automobile accident,” Surovell said. “These are people who have insurance and typically these providers are not supposed to turn these types of people away.”
The Virginia Association of Health Plans and patient advocates supported the bill.
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Senator Scott A. Surovell represents parts of Fairfax, Prince William, and Stafford Counties since 2015. Prior to his time in the Senate, Surovell served six years in the House of Delegates. Surovell lives in Mt. Vernon with his wife and four children. He practices law and has dedicated his legislative career to fighting for Northern Virginia’s fair share, protecting consumers, and preserving our environment for future generations.