Lack of health care access termed national disgrace - A shift away from employWASHINGTON (CNS) -It is a "national disgrace" that an esti- ment-based insurance because it mated 31 million Americans lack "implies our work is what makes access to basic quality health care us deserving." - Addressing the multiple causes because they have no insurance. . and can't afford doctors or hospi- of disease. - Coverage as comprehensive tal care on their own, a Jesuit priest told leaders in Catholic health as possible, with equal treatment care Nov. 28. . for all: - Determining allocation of The remedy is in a public policy that recognizes basic health care as resources through boards that "a fundamental right for all of us include representatives of the poor. Panelist Sister Amata Miller, an as children of God," and cooperation between the public and pri- economist and member of the Sisvate sectors to provide universal ters, Servants of the Immaculate access to it, said Father James Heart of Mary, said the nation can Hug, executive director of the afford reforms if it chooses to and Center of Concern in Washington. added that the current system is He addressed some 35 Catholic health care leaders at Geor·getown V niversity for a symposium on reform of the national health care system. Sponsored by the St. LouisHARTFORD, Conn. (CNS)based Catholic Health Association and its Select Committee on Indi- The Office of AIDS Ministry of gent Care, the symposium included the Hartford Archdiocese has been a panel discussion with represen- designated headquarters for a new tatives of business, medicine, insu- international network for Catholic AIDS ministers. rance and labor. Father James Graham, head of The Catholic leaders also heard· the. Hartford archdiocesan AIDS from Edward Howard, general counsel to the congressional Pepper office, is the president of the InterCommission, named after the late national Christian AI DS Network, Rep. Claude Pepper, D-Fla., and an information service for church created by Congress to examine ministers around the world who deal with the disease. V.S. health care, which will begin The network will link interested this month to discuss health care options, including a major expan- persons and programs with inforsion of Medicaid to address exist- mation about education, support ing gaps in coverage for the poor; a and care for AIDS patients. Father Graham, a priest of the public-private partnership or "mixed system" that would build on piocese of Springfield, Mass. existing employer-based coverage attended a recent Vatican conferand use public monies to fill in ence on AIDS where he said he gaps; and a kind of "social insu- joined a mediation session followrance" like that in Canada, where ing a few "shouting matches" there is a national health insurance between Archbishop Fiorenzo Angelini, council president, and program. some delegates who wanted AIDS Howard said if some action is patients to speak at the conference. not taken soon the number of Out of the mediation came an uninsured would double in 10 years, agreement by both sides to work . along with the millions more who toward another Vatican-sponsored are "underinsured." AIDS conference that would In his remarks Father HUKpaint- include participation of patients ed a portrait of a complex health and pastoral ministers. care system beset with rising costs, "I said that it was important for bureaucratic inefficiencies and un- the Vatican to take the initiative needed competition among health by first including the scientific care providers, all set within a people," Father Graham said, "but "hostile" social environment that that now we should follow through is eroding the fabric of community. with a pastoral network." Father Hug said the hostility "The next thing I knew Archbiresulted from the nation being shop Angelini accepted the idea of "de-ind ustrialized," decreasing the setting up [the international netlabor pool needed in manufactur- work], and I got introduced to the ing. Additionally, many jobs have pope," he said. gone to underpaid Third World As network director, Father workers. , Graham will visit Catholic-sponV .S. citizens often lack health sored AIDS ministries around the insurance either because they are world. He has already been asked out of work or in low-paying ser- to address the French bishops' vice jobs that provide no insu- conference. rance, Father Hug said. Costs are up, he said, due to inefficiency, lack of adequate cost controls and pressures of a society too prone to malpractice suits. What is lost is "the identity of individual as member of community" and the sense of community, he added. The high tech model of care, he • Tree & Stump Removal pointed, does not address causes of disease, such as stress, poverty, • Trimming & Pruning the drug culture, lack of adequate • Tree & Shrub Planting food, clean water, housing, shel• Free Estimates ter, clothing and health education. • Full insured Father Hug noted that 80 perTHOMAS WALSH cent of disease has been attributed 30 Weaver St to tobacco, alcohol and violence Swansea and is preventable. He called for: . - Access to universal, national health care.
"morally unacceptable." She urged THE ANCHOR-Diocese of Fall River-Fri., Dec. 8, 1989 an emphasis on primary and preventive care. Also attt:nding the symposium was Auxiliary Bishop Joseph M. Sullivan of Brooklyn, N.Y., who said that access was "a major justice issue" and that the Catholic Church because ofits role in health care is in a good position "to talk about moral principles. We know NOW Checking the problem and we have a vision from Citizens-Union. of who the human person is, of life and values." But he added that the country has "unreal expectations for perfect health care" and "a system . that is not willing to accept that all those who provide care are human."
NOW
A GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING
International AIDS network announced
Eager Beaver Tree Spedalists
674-6185
11
GIVE A CfIRISTMAS GIFT SUBSCRIPTION TO
thea ~.~~.~.9..y'.!..~g.~.~g~.\.~~~~.~.~~.~.~.~.~.~.?~.~?~~: ..~.~.~~.~L~.~P.~.~.~.~.!g: The' ANCHOR
o
Box 7 Fall River, Mass. 02722 I yr. subscription $11.00 0 Foreign $15.00 PLEASE PRINT PLAINLY
Name
.
Address
:
City
State
. Zip
.
GIFT CARD SHOULD READ: From Street
. :
)t~
,
•
A
City-State
•
.
•
FRANCISCANS of the
.
fU1" f'tonement We Live, "That All May Be One" The Friars at the Chapel of Our Savior invite you to come and see what it means to be a Franciscan of the Atonement. We will host a Vocation !.!l9uiry Day on Sunday, February 4,1990 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. If you are between 18-40 years old and would like to know more about Franciscan religious life, you are welcome to participate. For more information call Brother John Poncia, S.A. atthe Chapel of Our Savior located at 475 Westgate Drive, Brockton, MA 02401, 508/583-8357.