At Georgetown/On Faith, Thomas J. Reese, S.J. reminds readers that the Catholic bishops have historically been an active voice promoting health care reform, and argues that “a government option, a single payer system or even socialized medicine are not bogeymen for Catholic social teaching. Rather the teaching is very pragmatic: How can we care for the millions who are not insured?”
Because of the Gospels and because of their experience caring for the sick and dying, the Catholic community has something important to say about health care reform. But if you only listen to the media, you would think that the only health care issue of concern to the bishops is abortion.
The Catholic bishops in their 2007 “Faithful Citizenship” statement, called “for greater assistance for those who are sick and dying, through health care for all and effective and compassionate palliative care.” They argue that “Affordable and accessible health care is an essential safeguard of human life and a fundamental human right.” The bishops are appalled that more than 46 million people do not have health insurance.
As the U.S. bishops’ website says:
Access to health care should not depend on where a person works, how much a family earns, or where a person lives. Instead, every person, created in the image and likeness of God, has a right to life and to those things necessary to sustain life, including affordable, quality health care. This teaching is rooted in the biblical call to heal the sick and to serve “the least of these,” our concern for human life and dignity, and the principle of the common good.
Read the full piece, including eight criteria for evaluating health care reform that the bishops published in a 1993 statement on the issue, at Georgetown/On Faith.