December 11, 2009
The Bishop's Forum
Health care in the United States
by Bishop Gerald A. Gettelfinger
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops remains adamant on significant matters: 1) There must be a reform of health care in the United States to provide coverage for the poor and under-served; 2) Health Care Reform Bills must not allow for the expansion of funding for abortions; 3) We will continue to insist that health care reform legislation must protect conscience rights. We bishops are not supporting the specific elements of any bill beyond the above.
If you are addicted to believing in slick commercials loaded with mis-information and avoidance of truth in advertising, you will have difficulty understanding the battle ground in the Congress of the United States. It is a political battle. Such battles do not serve the good of the country. I will pose some questions for you to research as to facts, not rhetoric.
1) Do you know how much money is expended for hospital visits for those without health care insurance? Do you know who is paying for those services not provided? Have you experienced the query of the admitting office for your insurance coverage and you don’t have any? Do you know of anyone who has lost their health insurance when they lost it from their employer? What about their children?
2) In another place in this issue you will find a statement from the Conference of Catholic Bishops. (Page 5)
We are insistent that Health Care Reform Bills must remain abortion neutral. Ours is not an attempt at reversing Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortions. Yes, reversing Roe vs. Wade is an ultimate ideal, but the focus here is on the the congressional debate on Health Care Reform.
Congress must not enter into providing assistance for abortions while recognizing that private health care providers provide for it already. That struggle must not be confused with the our effort to insist that there be no expansion of abortion coverage by the Federal Government.
Our position is a matter of principle, not political expediency. It is a valiant attempt to see to it that no Health Care Reform Bill allows for any expenditure of federal funds, i.e. tax dollars, to provide for abortions as originally provided by the Hyde Amendment.
Any final congressional bill providing for the expansion of coverage for federal funding of abortions must be most vigorously opposed by the bishops and Catholics of the United States even though it may mean the loss of other helpful elements.
Congressman Brad Ellsworth courageously played a key role in drafting the final version of the Health Care Reform Bill approved by the House of Representatives. He took an enormous political risk while exercising the gift of courage he received in Confirmation. I have thanked him and applauded him for his witness to the tenets of our faith, i.e. abortion is killing of the innocent!
3) Health Care Reform is going to cost all citizens in one way or another. It already does. How might we citizens harness this run-a-way train? What is your solution? Barking at our Congressmen and Senators is not helpful. What do you bring to the table?
If you are concerned about the costs attributed to pending health care legislation, consider the daily cost of our engagement in war in foreign lands not to mention the immeasurable loss of life of our soldiers. Do you even know those costs? What is the cost to you and me for the latest surge of troops in Afghanistan? Have you seen them on political commercials? Do not allow yourself to be duped by mis-information or lack of truth. Stay with facts, not fluff!
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops stands on the principle of protecting all life from the moment of conception to natural death. It is a matter of principle! Abortion is killing! We must not allow our federal government to expand it through funding by tax dollars.
At this moment we cannot reverse the provisions legislated (sic) by the Supreme Court Decision of Roe v. Wade. We wish to stop any expansion of it in the federal government. God willing and truth prevailing, Roe v. Wade will be reversed.
Contact your congressmen and senators to let them know that abortion can never be an option for federal tax support in any circumstance.
Pray that our political leaders will exercise their free will on the basis of moral principles and not merely on political expediency!
Next week: The family and the Sacrament of Reconciliation