In the Catholic community, health
and the healing ministry take on particular significance because
of the Church’s involvement as provider of health care services
through its various ministries and as a major purchaser of
health care insurance for its employees. In the debate over
health care insurance, the Bishops will continue to use as their
guide the “criteria for reform” from their Framework for
Comprehensive Health Care Reform.
Among the criteria for health
care reform are:
♦ Respect for Life - Whether
it preserves and enhances human life from conception to
natural death.
♦ Priority Concern for the Poor - Whether it gives special
priority to health care needs of the poor, ensuring that
their health care is quality health care.
♦ Universal Access to Comprehensive Benefits - Whether it
provides universal access to comprehensive benefits
sufficient to maintain and promote good health.
♦ Pursuing the Common Good and Preserving Pluralism -
Whether it allows and encourages the involvement of all
sectors, including the religious and voluntary sectors, in
all aspects of health care, ensuring respect for the ethical
and religious values of consumers and providers.
Definition:
Universal Health Care: A Definition
From Wikipedia Encyclopedia
Catholic Documents:
Health and Catholic Social Teaching
USCCB
U.S. Catholic Bishops on Health Care
USCCB, 2005
Continuing the Commitment: A Pathway to Health Care Reform
Catholic Health Association, 2000
A
Framework Comprehensive Health Care Reform
USCCB, 1993
Putting Children and Families First:
A Challenge for Our Church, Nation, and World
USCCB, 1991
Health and Health Care: A Pastoral Letter
USCCB, 1981
Related Faith Based Documents:
Theological Grounding as an Ethical Imperative for Justice in
Health Care
Ohio Council of Churches, 1999
Resolution
For Renewed Faith Community Universal Health Care Campaign
National Council of Churches, 1999
Governmental and Secular
Documents:
2006 Bills on Universal Health Care Coverage
National Conference of State Legislatures
The
National Academies Institute of Medicine
Projects and
Reports
Working
Papers from the Economic Research Initiative on the Uninsured
Funded by the Robert Woods
Johnson Foundation
National
Healthcare Disparities Report
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 2005
Women's Health Care in the United States
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 2005
Improving Health Care: A Dose of Competition
U.S. Federal Trade Commission, 2004
The World
Health Report - Working Together for Health
United Nations World Health Organization, 2006
Organizations
U.S. Special Committee on Aging
Catholic Health Initiatives
Physicians for a National Health Program
The
National Academy for State Health Policy
Universal Health Care Action Network (UHCAN)
U.S.C.C.B Committee on Social Development and World Peace
