JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Hospitals and nursing homes in Missouri would lose some of their ability to restrict visitors during a pandemic under legislation being considered in the Legislature.
Republican lawmakers have introduced at least four proposals designed to address concerns that patients and elderly residents lost valuable contact with their loved ones when the spread of COVID-19 triggered prohibitions on visitors.
"Isolation kills. Human beings were created by God to interact with each other," said Rep. Brian Seitz, R-Branson. "Only God can determine life or death."
Hospitals and nursing homes are against the changes, saying they need to have the ability to control what goes on inside their doors.
The push mirrors ongoing Republican attempts to end mask mandates, vaccination requirements and business closures and comes as hospitals across the state are again limiting visitors in response to the ongoing surge of cases.
At St. Luke's Hospital in Chesterfield, for example, patients are allowed one visitor per day in most circumstances. Exceptions are made in end-of-life situations. Two visitors per stay are allowed in obstetrics, labor and delivery, nursery, special care nursery and pediatrics.
BJC HealthCare, SSM Health and Mercy announced similar restrictions in December.
Democrats argued that now is not the time to increase risks at health care facilities.
"We have to take in the strong reality right now that we have nursing shortages," said Rep. Michael Burton, D-Lakeshire.
"I worry we are encouraging the spread of communicable disease," said Rep. Ashley Aune, D-Kansas City.
Seitz is sponsoring House Bill 2097, the "No Patient Left Behind Act," which would require hospitals to allow patients to have visitors at any time. The proposed law also prohibits long-term care facilities from adopting policies during a health emergency that prevent family members, caregivers or public administrators from visiting residents.
Rep. Rusty Black, R-Chillicothe, wants to create the "No Patient Left Alone Act." House Bill 2116 would require health care facilities to allow at least one person to be with the patient at all times during the patient's stay in the hospital. It also would prohibit a hospital from requiring patients to have been vaccinated against COVID-19 as a prerequisite to receive treatment or to have visitors.
Rep. Mitch Boggs, R-LaRussell, has introduced House Bill 1690, which would "prohibit hospitals and certain health care facilities from instituting policies that limit patients' abilities to be visited by designated family members or friends during any hospitalization or treatment that lasts for a period exceeding 24 hours, including during a public health emergency as outlined in the bill."
And, Rep. Ed Lewis, R-Moberly, is sponsoring House Bill 2221, which would require health care facilities allow "essential caregivers," as designated by patient family members, to conduct in-person visits with patients, and prevents long-term care facilities from adopting policies in response to an outbreak of a contagious illness.
"We're not putting people in prison because they are sick," Lewis said.
The bills, which were discussed in a House committee Wednesday, come as visitation policies at hospitals and long-term care facilities again are being adjusted to deal with a surge of patients.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Pandemic Task Force said Tuesday that the seven-day average of new hospital admissions fell to 210 a day, from 219 on Saturday.
But doctors said it's too soon to celebrate. Patients still at times are staying overnight, or even for multiple days in emergency rooms, waiting for care, said BJC Chief Clinical Officer Dr. Clay Dunagan, who co-leads the Task Force. Hospitals are unable to take as many patient transfers from outside the region.
