Drager CEO: No public healthcare for the unvaccinated

02/15/2022 / By Mary Villareal

The CEO of German medical and safety technology manufacturer Drager suggested that those who do not want to get vaccinated against the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) should not be allowed to have publicly funded hospital treatment. Drager CEO Stefan Drager also said these individuals should be “automatically considered” to have forfeited their right to obtain COVID-19 treatment in public hospitals.

“Anyone who refuses vaccination must forgo treatment in the hospital,” Drager said. “If he refuses, this is automatically considered a patient decree that if he falls ill with the virus, he will not be treated in hospital at the expense of the general public.”

While the statement is sure to draw criticism, he said this should be the case to avoid overburdening hospitals and staff. However, he is not sold on mandatory vaccinations, either, saying that when the state makes the decision for the people, it relieves them of their own responsibility.

Furthermore, he believes that a large, silent majority is suffering from the “unrepentant minority.” According to Drager, he meant this “suffering” in a medical sense as well, because treatment for other illnesses or operations is likely to be postponed.

European counties in recent days have moved to rescind many COVID-19 rules, such as the need for vaccine passports due to the falling cases. However, countries like Germany and Austria have opted to implement more restrictions instead.

The German government, for instance, is reportedly considering a general vaccine mandate for all residents 18 and older. Chancellor Olaf Scholz told news outlets in January that he supports this idea, saying he’s convinced that without compulsory vaccination, the country won’t be able to get their vaccination rates up to the level that is necessary to get them out of the pandemic.

The Austrian Parliament also passed a similar measure signed into law earlier in February, where harsh fines amounting to thousands of euros could be levied several times per year for those who refuse to comply. (Related: Austria implements mandatory covid vaccination for EVERYONE.)

A top German court rejected a legal challenge to temporarily block the implementation of a vaccination mandate for healthcare workers, which was supposed to be enforced in March. The move was welcomed by the German government, with Scholz indicating that he and health officials believe the cases will rise in the autumn and winter of 2022. This means that it is especially necessary to make vaccines compulsory.

Scholz also reiterated his stance during a speech to parliament. He said that the next fall and winter will see a rise in infections again, so vaccine mandates also make sense.

Singapore no longer covers medical bills of unvaccinated COVID-19 patients

Singapore has already done what Drager wanted to do. The Southeast Asian nation stopped covering the medical bills of those “unvaccinated by choice” beginning December 8 last year, with the country’s Ministry of Health citing the strain that the unvaccinated are putting on the nation’s health care system.

“Unvaccinated persons make up a sizeable majority of those who require intensive inpatient care, and disproportionately contribute to the strain on our healthcare resources,” the ministry said in a statement.

The Singaporean government had been covering the cost of COVID-19 care for all of its citizens, permanent residents and long-term pass holders, excluding those who tested positive after returning from overseas. The ministry explained that it was supposed to avoid financial considerations adding to public uncertainty and concern when the virus was emergent and unfamiliar.

However, the system will continue to apply to the majority who are vaccinated until the situation becomes more stable. The policy change meant that the government started charging those unvaccinated COVID-19 patients admitted to hospitals and treatment facilities since December 8. However, the patient can still use their regular health care financing arrangements to pay bills where applicable.

Those who are not eligible for vaccination like children under 12 and people with medical exemptions will still have their bills covered. (Related: Fully vaccinated individuals make up majority of COVID cases and hospitalizations in NSW.)

Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said hospitals really prefer not to bill the patients at all, but they have to send an important signal to urge everyone to get vaccinated if they are eligible.