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August 28, 2009
Health Care Reform and the Dignity of the Human Person
By
Daniel Cardinal
DiNardo
In recent months, the debate over health care reform has become quite vigorous and controversial. The debate is important as it impinges upon us all. The Catholic community has important things to say and to offer in this debate because we have been involved with health care in this country for over 200 years, especially through our network of Catholic hospitals and social service institutions like Catholic Charities. The Catholic faith also has a long and coherent tradition of teaching on the moral principles and ethics of health care. Catholic dioceses and Catholic communities purchase health care and know the difficulties. Our institutions are also involved with interventions and help when parts of the health care system break down.
The debate and the issues involved are quite complicated. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has focused on the principles rather than the particulars of any given bill. The first principle is the dignity and respect owed to the human person. For that reason, we support universal health coverage which protects the life and dignity of each person, a coverage that is thus truly universal, especially for the poor and the vulnerable. This coverage must also be assured for all from conception to natural death. For this same reason, we oppose any efforts to expand abortion funding, mandate abortion coverage or endanger the conscience rights of health care providers and religious institutions. There are long standing current policies on these issues that must be preserved – policies at the federal level that have received wide support. Such policies cannot be compromised now. The Bishops’ Committees on Pro-Life and Domestic Policy have both testified before Congress and written extensively to various committees at the House of Representatives on these matters. In the midst of much debate, a certain amount of confusion and mis-information can arise. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has set up a special website, www.usccb.org/healthcare, which contains a wealth of information and resources to help our faith community analyze the health situation and reflect on the principles so important for faith formation in this very important but sometimes bewildering issue.
Because there are so many interests and points of view in this debate, it is imperative for the Church to clearly state the principles. We cannot be used to support sides that have only their own agenda. Instead, we must make clear and repeat the major principles that need to be safeguarded while the debate and the various sides of the debate engage in the difficult legislative work of providing what is genuine universal coverage. I have some concerns that there will be efforts to contravene existing federal protections against abortion funding and mandates and a dilution of policies now in effect to protect conscience protection and to protect existing laws which restrict abortion. It is very imperative for our Catholic people to write and support pro-life members of Congress in both parties to achieve and sustain this significant goal.
There are other areas of legislation in this matter to be discussed, but I think that these introductory comments can be an initial help in our moral assessments of the common good to be upheld in any universal health care reform.
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