Health Care Bill & West Ohio Conference UMC Response

UPDATE ON LEGISLATION: HR 3962

Our United Methodist Social Principles state clearly that health care is a basic human right and joins Ezekiel in affirming the duty of government to assure health care for all(Social Principle paragraph 162V). Recently, our General Board of Church and Society has taken a position to support HR 3962, a new bill to reform health care in the United States.

HR 3962 provides the following key points:

1. Creation of "Insurance Exchange" coverage people can purchase through the government. The rates have been negotiated with hospital systems so that the interests of various parties are represented: the public, health care providers, insurance providers, and the government.

Over the past 32 years, General Conference has consistently advocated for a single payer option which would cover every American. The Insurance Exchange (or Negotiated Rates Public Option) is a compromise to the United Methodist position. This means that the rate to purchase it will depend on where a person lives. In some instances, it will cost more than the purchase of private insurance. In other places, it will cost less.

2. This bill would eliminate the practice of denying insurance to you based on pre-existing conditions.

3. If your income is below 150% of the federal poverty level, you will become eligible for Medicaid. If your income is between 150-400% of the poverty level, you can purchase subsidized insurance through the exchange.

4. HR 3962 will also allow parents to cover their dependent children through age 27.

In summary, HR 3962 will make health coverage accessible to more people and provide health care for more people.

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George Barna: Poverty, Health Care Reform, & American Views

George Barna, probably the most recognized religious research guru who tracks trends, opinions, and views on a variety of contemporary issues facing society and the church, offers this feedback on the topic of poverty and health care reform.

I think it's helpful sometimes, regardless of what opinion we may have, to step back and read the pulse of the country to help us distinguish between popular sentiment and an authentic Christian response.

Below is a portion of Barna's summary of the pulse of our country's worldview regarding the topic of poverty and more specifically, health care reform. The last paragraph which I put in bold is the "catch 22" of the health care reform issue and why this is such a controversial topic that often prevents people from being open minded and having civil discussions.

Views of Poverty:

Our surveys underscore the fact that about three-quarters of all adults believe poverty is one of the most serious issues facing the nation. Even more significantly, most Americans also contend that when it comes to alleviating poverty, that’s mainly the government’s responsibility. Two-thirds of adults look to the government to solve issues related to poverty – including health care deficiencies. Just one out of every five adults believes that solving poverty is an individual duty, and a mere one out of 25 people assigns that task to non-profit organizations, and another one in 25 assigns it to churches.

As we assess how individuals deal with poverty on a personal level, we find that Americans do get involved, but in a kind of arms-length manner. For instance, the most common responses are for people to give money, food, and clothing to someone else to get the job done. In contrast, the most personal responses are the least common. Relatively few Americans talk directly with the needy, tutor them, build homes for them, visit them, befriend them, or engage in other types of personal activities to address the issue.

One might say, then, that we mean well but we’re too busy, too disinterested, or feel too inadequate to actually address poverty personally, head-on. Given that mind set, it’s no wonder that the current health care debate centers not on what every American can personally do to help alleviate human suffering, but on how we can get the government to provide a more efficient alternative that will neither break the bank nor hinder our lifestyle.

In essence, what Americans seem to want is increased government services, more efficient delivery of services, no increase in taxes, and no personal involvement in the process. In a nutshell, our argument is: it’s not my fault and it’s not my job, so let the paid professionals deal with it.

Video Forum on the Present Health Care Reform Debate

Kudos to Church of the Resurrection (United Methodist Church) in Leawood, KS for hosting a recent panel discussion forum at their church on the present health care reform debate.

This forum is a refreshing example on how to have a civil conversation on a very controversial topic that is dividing our country.

Here are the panel discussion participants:

Sam Turner, CEO, Shawnee Mission Medical Center
Myra Christopher, President and CEO, The Center for Practical BioEthics
Keith Wisdom, CFO, United Health Care Midwest
Rick Kahle, President, Employee Benefits, Lockton Insurance
Hilda Fuentes, CEO, Samuel Rodgers Health Center
Dr. Ritch Richardson, Emergency Room Physician, Johnson CountyEMS Director
Brenda Sharpe, CEO, REACH Health Foundation

Click on the link below to watch the forum:

http://www.cor.org/seasonal-special/health-care-forum/

Health Care Specifics - United Methodist Church

Here is some more specific information related to the current health care debate and the United Methodist Church. The United Methodist Board of Church & Society in alignment with the denominational position on health care is recommending the following four components (The John 10:10 Challenge) to be included in any new health care reform:

INCLUSIVE - Health care is a right and a shared responsibility that is grounded in our common humanity.

AVAILABLE - Health care must contribute to the common good by being available to everyone, especially those who cannot afford it.

ACCESSIBLE - All persons should have access to health services that provide necessary care and contribute to wellness.

ACCOUNTABLE - Our health care system must be accountable, offering a quality, equitable and sustainable means of keeping us healthy as individuals and as a community.

The Official United Methodist Statement on Health Care

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.