Accessible health care, a 'fundamental human right'

When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick (Luke 9:1-2). 

With an estimated 47 million Americans lacking health carecoverage, it follows that the Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenshipdocument from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) listsaccessible health care as “an essential safeguard of human life” and as “afundamental human right.” This view is reflected by 85 percent of Americanvoters today who reported they believe health care is a matter of human dignityand should be available to all. In fact, voters responded in a recent opinionsurvey conducted on behalf of the Catholic Health Association that health careranked as the second most important priority to be addressed by our nextCongress and president.

Our Catholic Christian values mandate that any call toreform the nation’s health care system must be rooted in the irrefutable beliefthat every human life is a sacred gift from God. Therefore, we are obligated,first and foremost, not only to support health care measures which protecthuman life from the moment of conception to a natural death, but also to rejectthose measures which undermine the dignity of any human being. The appeal byPope John Paul II to be a “people of life and for life” reminds us that anyattack on the sanctity of human life, whether it be through abortion,euthanasia, human cloning or the destruction of human embryos, can not betolerated in a health care system which should seek to offer the compassion ofJesus to those who are most powerless in our society.

This obligation to respect all human life serves as a moralcompass to guide Catholic voters in a wide range of health care related issuesparticularly with regard to serving the poor and underserved. It should lead usto seek ways to strengthen Medicare and Medicaid plans so that participantsreceive equity in adequate and timely health care and prescription services. Itshould lead us to reach out with compassion to the single parent, to children,to racial minorities, to immigrants and refugees, to victims of domestic orsexual abuse, to the person with mental or physical disabilities, to the dying,to those suffering from HIV/AIDS and to those coping with addictions. It shouldlead us to encourage “available and affordable” health care coverage for allworkers (Pope John Paul II Laborem Exercens). It should lead us to offeroptions for the responsible use of our health care resources and containment ofhealth care costs so that, particularly in difficult economic times, people donot have to forsake the basic rights to adequate housing, food and clothing inorder to meet their health care needs.

The USCCB document additionally calls for voters to standbehind the right of Catholic healthcare institutions and individual providersto offer medical care or services without having to compromise their ownreligious beliefs. A key point in any health care package has to be the freedomof conscience for people of faith to refuse to participate in what they believeas immoral actions such as abortion, sterilization, dispensing ofcontraceptives, euthanasia or assisted suicide. Attempts to link any health careplan funding with imperatives to perform these services is morallyobjectionable.

As the bishops’ statement explains, it is our responsibilityto discern carefully and prayerfully which public policies are morally soundwith the teachings of our church. This responsibility holds true for the issueof mandating effective and affordable health care whether it is an electionyear or not.

Christine Kimler, D.O. is a primary care physician inprivate practice and president of the Catholic Medical Association for theDiocese of Camden. Martin Idler is the executive director of Health Servicesfor the Diocese of Camden. 

Note: Remaining sessions for the “Forming Consciences forFaithful Citizenship” presentations all will be held from 7-9 p.m. at thefollowing locations:

— St. Bartholomew, Camden, Tuesday, Sept. 30;

— St. Joseph, Hammonton, Wednesday, Oct. 1;

— Our Lady of Angels, Cape May Courthouse , Thursday, Oct.2;

Pope John Paul II Retreat House, Vineland(Spanish), Thursday, Oct. 2.