Health Care

Health Care Scroll down for actions Weblog Updates

Health care reform has been a top priority for the
Pennsylvania Council of Churches’ advocacy efforts
since 2007. Efforts focus on changing policies at both
the state and federal levels.

To learn more about why this is an important issue for the Council, along with some

specific areas of focus and the theological underpinnings for the Council’s efforts

around this issue, read our policy statement on Health and Health Care.

To learn about actions you can take to educate yourself, your congregations, and
others about health care reform, check out the information below.

Supporting an Approach Designed to Provide Health Care for ALL

· 1Payer.net—Single Payer Action Site (http://www.1payer.net/index.php)

· Campaign for Children’s Healthcare (http://www.childrenshealthcampaign.org/)

· Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (http://www.cbpp.org/pubs/health.htm)

· Coalition on Human Needs (http://www.chn.org/issues/health/)

· Faith United Against Tobacco-Tobacco Free Kids (http://www.tobaccofreekids.org/campaign/faith/)

· Faithful Reform in Health Care (http://www.faithfulreform.org/)

· Families USA (http://www.familiesusa.org/)

· Health Care for All PA (http://www.healthcare4allpa.org/home.php)

· Healthcare-NOW (http://www.healthcare-now.org/)

· Health Task Force-National Council of Churches (http://www.health-ministries.org/)

Stay Up to Speed on Children’s Health Issues

The Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) maintains a constant watch on how legislation
and policies impact children’s health. Thanks to CDF’s work, children fared better than
expected in the recently signed health care reform legislation.

You can monitor children’s health issues at CDF. We will post actions related to children’s health when your contacts are needed.

· Health Progress and Policy—A Project of the Center for American Progress

(http://www.americanprogress.org/projects/

healthprogress/)

· Pennsylvania Alliance to Control Tobacco (http://pactonline.org/new/index.html)

· Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center (http://www.pennbpc.org/)

· Pennsylvania Health Access Network (http://www.pahealthaccess.org/)

· Physicians for a National Health Program (http://www.pnhp.org/)

· Raising Women’s Voices (http://www.raisingwomensvoices.net/)

· Women’s Universal Health Initiative (http://www.wuhi.org)

Primary Links for Faith-Based Health Care Information, Education, and Resources

Faithful Reform in Health Care

(focused on a faith inspired vision for reforming health care)

Health Task Force-National Council of Churches

(broader focus, including emergency preparedness)

Children’s Defense Fund

(faith resources related to children’s health)

Fixing our broken health care system is a priority issue for the Pennsylvania Council of Churches. While there are several approaches being proposed at both the state and federal levels, in 2007 the Council’s Commission on Public Witness chose to endorse a universal health care system that is publicly funded and privately delivered—commonly referred to as “single payer.” While some have described it as “socialized medicine,” it is not, as it preserves the right of patients to choose their own doctors, who are independent and not employees of the government. We prefer to think of it as “civilized medicine.”

The reason for supporting this approach to managing our health care system is that it is the only approach that fulfills the Council’s position (stated in our policy statement on Health and Health Care) that:

Comprehensive health care must be available to ALL persons—regardless of ability to pay. A comprehensive care system should be: 1) universal; 2) continuous; 3) affordable to individuals and families; 4) affordable and sustainable for society; and 5) able to enhance health and well-being by promoting access to high-quality care that is effective, efficient, safe, timely, patient-centered, and equitable.

Therefore, the Council has chosen to endorse and support the following legislation:

· Pennsylvania’s legislation that embodies this concept: Senate Bill 400, and House Bill 1660. These bills were introduced in the previous session as SB 300 and HB 1660. Links will be provided as soon as the bills are posted.

· HR 676, introduced by Rep. John Conyers, “to provide for comprehensive health insurance coverage for all United States residents.”

The Council is joining the effort in Pennsylvania with Health Care for All PA to collect signers to a petition in support of this legislation. You can sign online, or download a petition and ask your friends to join in support.

More important, however, is for you to contact your legislators to let them know you support these bills and ask for their support. You can do this at http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/5415/t/5044/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=1329. This is the easy way to show your support, but your personal calls, letters and e-mails have even more impact—so please consider a personal approach if you have time!