To encourage civil, reasonable, and prayerful dialogue, I invite all of us to read and reflect on the following official United Methodist stament on the issue of health care based on the 2008 "Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church."¶ 162 V) Right to Health Care—Health is a condition of physical, mental, social, and spiritual well-being. John 10:10b says, “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” Stewardship of health is the responsibility of each person to whom health has been entrusted.
Creating the personal, environmental, and social conditions in which health can thrive is a joint responsibility—public and private. We encourage individuals to pursue a healthy lifestyle and affirm the importance of preventive health care, health education, environmental and occupational safety, good nutrition, and secure housing in achieving health. Health care is a basic human right.
Providing the care needed to maintain health, prevent disease, and restore health after injury or illness is a responsibility each person owes others and government owes to all, a responsibility government ignores at its peril. In Ezekiel 34:4a, God points out the failures of the leadership of Israel to care for the weak: “You have not strengthened the weak, you have not healed the sick, you have not bound up the injured.” As a result all suffer.
Like police and fire protection, health care is best funded through the government’s ability to tax each person equitably and directly fund the provider entities. Countries facing a public health crisis such as HIV/AIDS must have access to generic medicines and to patented medicines.
We affirm the right of men and women to have access to comprehensive reproductive health/family planning information and services that will serve as a means to prevent unplanned pregnancies, reduce abortions, and prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS. The right to health care includes care for persons with brain diseases, neurological conditions, or physical disabilities, who must be afforded the same access to health care as all other persons in our communities. It is unjust to construct or perpetuate barriers to physical or mental wholeness or full participation in community.
We believe it is a governmental responsibility to provide all citizens with health care.
To judge by television, radio and newspaper reports, the proposal for a national health care system has been received as a visceral issue. And unfortunately the scheduled talks about health care with our elected representatives have erupted into explosive exchanges which demonstrate how emotional we are, as a people, about the issue. Sadly, many are concerned not in being fair and including all of God's children but in protecting their personal rights. Worried about losing their insurance, their doctor, their Medicare protection. They do not seem concerned about those who cannot afford health insurance. It is regrettable that people are not better informed. One person in my area shouted at a meeting with his representative, "I want the government to keep its hands off my Medicare!" I beg his pardon, but the government manages his Medicare. Always has. I urge everyone to do some research on the health care subject. Become informed. Do not entirely base your opinion on remarks with neighbors over the back fence, nor overheard bits on the elevator. Read more than one political party's rhetoric, listen to talk shows from both sides of the political spectrum, after watching your favorite television news program be brave and switch to another channel to see and hear the opposing view. Write to your representative and ask questions. Tell him or her of your concerns. Make suggestions. We should be working toward providing health care for ALL. Like food, it is a basic human right.
ReplyDeleteAmerica has come to the fork in the road where you can go down the path of government dependence or self reliance. Unfortunately, in my opinion, we are on the road to government dependence and these dependences will grow exponentially over time till we are not a nation of people who rely on the government to be the arbiters of success.
ReplyDeleteThe camels head is under the tent. Anyone who believes that government control is the fair and just way to issue healthcare is naïve and has not studied results where this has been implemented.
Your statements talk about the fairness and need to provide healthcare without looking at the result of the actual bill that has been passed. No one can argue with the need to provide healthcare to the unfortunate among us who cannot afford care, but the system that has passed will provide less care to all than the free market system is providing now. The problems with the free market system could be addressed without takeover by the government of the best healthcare system in the world.