Health Care - the USCCB statement

Yesterday the Bishop William F. Murphy of the Diocese of Rockville Centre, Chairman of the Committee for Domestic Justice and Human Development of the USCCB sent this letter to all members of Congress (it is in .pdf format). It was also CCed to the White House and the Department of Health and Human Services.

Contained in the letter are several points that any health care reform should contain. These points are based upon Catholic teachings as well as basic social justice concerns.

"Health care reform needs to reflect basic ethical principles. We offer these as a guide:

• a truly universal health policy with respect for human life and dignity;
• access for all with a special concern for the poor and inclusion of legal immigrants;
• pursuing the common good and preserving pluralism including freedom of conscience and variety of options; and
• restraining costs and applying them equitably across the spectrum of payers"

A summary of the letter, as given in the USCCB press release, states:

09-161 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

U.S. Bishops Urge Congress to Observe Respect for Life, Access for All in Health Care Legislation

WASHINGTON—“Genuine health care reform that protects the life and dignity of all is a moral imperative and a vital national obligation,” said Bishop William F. Murphy of Rockville Centre, N.Y., as he outlined the policy priorities of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) on the issue of health care in a July 17 letter to Congress. The letter supported efforts to pass health care reform, but warned against inclusion of abortion.

Writing on behalf of the bishops as chairman of their Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, Bishop Murphy said the bishops have advocated comprehensive health care reform for decades and recommended four criteria for fair and just health care reform: respect for human life and dignity, access for all, pluralism and equitable costs.

“Two of these criteria need special attention as Congress moves forward with health care reform,” Bishop Murphy said.

On respecting life and dignity, he said, “No health care reform plan should compel us or others to pay for the destruction of human life, whether through government funding or mandatory coverage of abortion. Any such action would be morally wrong.”

After citing protections from public funding of abortion in U.S. law, Bishop Murphy added, “Health care reform cannot be a vehicle for abandoning this consensus which respects freedom of conscience and honors our best American traditions. Any legislation should reflect longstanding and widely supported current policies on abortion funding, mandates and conscience protections because they represent sound morality, wise policy and political reality.”

On the issue of access for all, Bishop Murphy said, “All people need and should have access to comprehensive, quality health care that they can afford, and it should not depend on their stage of life, where or whether they or their parents work, how much they earn, where they live, or where they were born. The Bishops’ Conference believes health care reform should be truly universal and it should be genuinely affordable.”

He went on to cite that, even after the implementation of health care reform, some families, including many immigrants, will not be covered and urged Congress to adequately fund clinics and hospitals that serve as a safety net for these people.

The full text of Bishop Murphy’s letter can be found online at: www.usccb.org/sdwp/national/2009-07-17-murphy-letter-congress.pdf
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GET INFORMED: There is a lot of talk (or should I say yelling?) these days about how "socialized medicine" is evil, that it promotes abortion and euthanasia, and other falsehoods. If you would like to know what health care is like in countries with public or socialized health systems, please visit the following sites:

• country profiles - which contains facts, figures, and trends on countries’ health systems
• at a glance summaries - summaries of all European countries, available in English and Russian, by the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies
• Snapshots of Health Systems - a 59pg. report that covers 16 European countries, detailing their health systems and reforms that are currently being made in them to reduce costs while providing superior care

GET INVOLVED:

PHONE: Call your members of Congress (use the Capitol Switchboard at (202)-224-3121) Keep on trying if it is busy! Make sure your voice is heard!

WRITE: to contact your Representative, Senators, or President Obama, click on the links, fill in the infos and tell them health care reform should:

1. Include health care coverage for all people from conception until natural death, and continue the federal ban on funding for abortions;
2. Include access for all with a special concern for the poor and immigrants;
3. Pursue the common good and preserve pluralism, including freedom of conscience; and
4. Restrain costs and apply costs equitably among payers.

MEET: Set up a face-to-face meeting with your members of Congress. Take the USCCB letter and talk with them about their plans to reform health care - if they have differences from what the Church teaches, make note of them. Share your experience on Catholic message boards, in your blog, or even in a tweet. Tell others in your Parish who are interested in social justice.

PRAY! Pray the Rosary, the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, or your favorite novena with the intention of health care reform as outlined in the Bishops' Letter. St. Hedwig is a good person to go to with requests about social justice, welfare, and health care!