|
Advocacy on Healthcare reform, and a new Web site
Social Ministry Colleagues,
For many years, and especially over the last several months, the Unites States Conference of Catholic Bishops has advocated for decent, affordable, accessible health care for all. Now the current and much needed national health care dialogue is being buried an avalanche of ideological combat, misinformation, partisan positioning and public anger and confusion. In the middle of this debate the Catholic community has a unique perspective. Our teaching insists health care is a right and shouldn’t depend on where your parents work, where you live or when you got here. Our tradition insists the moral measure of health care reform is how it touches the weak and vulnerable, babies in their mother’s womb and the very sick and old at the end of life, those without access and power. The Catholic community provides health care to millions in our hospitals, clinics and nursing homes. The Church purchases a lot of health care coverage for our employees in our parishes, schools, charities and health care institutions. And the Catholic community picks up the pieces of a failing health care system in our emergency rooms, shelters, schools and parishes. The families and people without health care coverage are not abstractions for us, we see them every day and see how their lives and dignity are threatened.
This is why our strong, clear and united Catholic voice is needed in the health care debate more than ever. We need to bring our principles and priorities to help get this debate back to basics. It is not right that more than 45 million of our neighbors have no health care coverage.
It is wrong, morally wrong. We can and must do better in using the remarkable health care capacity and resources of our nation to serve all our residents. And we should begin with the principle that the purpose of health care reform is to protect and enhance the life and dignity of all.
New Health Reform Web site
The USCCB has launched a new Web site promoting our support of “truly universal health policy with respect for human life and dignity.” The site, www.usccb.org/healthcare, includes letters from bishops to Congress, videos, backgrounders, facts and statistics, frequently asked questions, and links for contacting members of Congress. Please use and promote this new resource.
USCCB Message and Report to Bishops
The Conference has also sent a report and request for help to every bishop outlining what the USCCB has already done and the key messages which need to be communicated now. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops:
1. Supports universal health coverage which protects the life and
dignity of all, especially those who are poor and vulnerable. Because Catholic teaching insists that basic health care is a right and is essential to protect human life and dignity, genuine health care reform which protects human life and advances universal coverage is a moral imperative and urgent national priority. For us, universal coverage should be truly universal, assuring decent health care for all from conception to natural death.
2. Opposes any efforts to expand abortion funding, mandate abortion
coverage, or endanger the conscience rights of health care providers and religious institutions. Longstanding and widely supported current policies on these issues must be preserved. We urge members of the House and Senate to take all steps necessary to oppose abortion funding, mandated abortion coverage or weakening of conscience rights.
3. Supports effective measures to safeguard the health of
immigrants, their children and all of society by expanding eligibility for public programs, such as Medicaid, to all low-income families and vulnerable people and by offering adequate subsidies for cost-sharing of insurance premiums and out of pocket expenses.
Action Needed Now!
During this August recess and beyond, we are asking you, State Catholic Conference Directors, and other diocesan leaders to advocate the USCCB position and priorities in as many ways and places as possible. We especially ask you to communicate this message clearly and strongly to your Senators and Representatives. While all members of Congress need to hear our message, some members will be much more decisive than others.
Attached you will find a list of key members who are especially important because of their roles and positions in the health care debate. Our entire community depends on efforts to persuade these particular legislators.
We hope these ongoing efforts will reach out and include diocesan social mission, pro-life, health care, and immigration leaders. It should include direct appeals from bishops to legislators; organized visits of Catholic leaders with key legislators; and other communications with Congressional offices thru legislative networks, e-mail, calls and other means. State Catholic Conference Directors can be especially helpful in coordinating these activities, particularly with members of the Senate.
Please share with us what you are doing and what feedback you are getting from members.
Please direct your questions or suggestions and share information with
Kathy Saile or John Carr of JPHD, (ksaile@usccb.org (202-541-3134), or jcarr@usccb.org (202-541-3182); Richard Doerflinger of Pro-Life rdoerflinger@usccb.org (202-541-317
|
