Hot Topics, Cool Talk

How Can CatholicConvictions and ExperienceIlluminate the Health-Care Debate?”

School Of LawSchool Of LawUniversity of Saint ThomasUniversity of Saint ThomasJanuary 27, 2012January 27, 2012

John Carr,Executive Director, John Carr,Executive Director, Department of Justice, Peace and Human Development Department of Justice, Peace and Human Development United States Conference of Catholic United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Bishops

Introduction Honored…

Series…St. Thomas Anxious…

Panel Perspectives

Work, Politics, Sources (FCFC, Framework etc )

St. Thomas Outline Current Context Role of Church in Political Life Catholic Assets for Health Debate Catholic Teaching On Health Care USCCB Criteria/Advocacy For Reform A Current Controversy on Conscience Roles of Church

Political Context Passage of HCR did not end the

debate… intensified it. More Polarized, Partisan, Ideological

Tea party, Moveon.org Sound bytes: ObamaCare, RomneyCare

Less about health care, more about role of government

“Massive Change and no change “ “Keep Gov out of My Medicare”

Ironies: 4 years ago…, SOTU

Health Context best health care in the world,

but it serves too few and costs too much.

Just under 50 million uninsured, 16.3%

% children w/out down10years : SCHIP %of young adults w/ out down: ACA Spending on health care in the

United States represents one-sixth of GDP- and is growing

Faithful Citizenship

“it is not the church’s responsibility to make this teaching prevail in political life. Rather, the church wishes to help form consciences in political life and to stimulate greater insight into the authentic requirements of justice as well as greater readiness to act accordingly, even when this might involve conflict with situations of personal interest.”

Benedict XVI …God is Love…Deus Caritas Est

“Goals for Political Life” “Provide health care for the growing number of people without it, while respecting human life, human dignity, and religious freedom in our health care system.”

Health Care The Church provides health care.

A sixth of all hospital patients in 600 Catholic hospitals and thousand nursing homes, clinics .

The Church pays for health care. struggle with the rising costs of health care for

those who work in parishes, schools, dioceses, charities.

The Church picks up the pieces of a failing health care system.

The uninsured are in our emergency rooms, shelters, clinics. They turn to us for help .

And The Church preaches and teaches

adequate health care is a an essential safeguard of human life and dignity.

MissionIn Catholic Tradition Health Care

is Not just an industry, but also

ministry Not a commodity, but a service Not just a political battle, but

also moral test Not a privilege, but a “right

An essential good, necessary to protect human life and dignity

Catholic Teaching 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,“ the Catholic commitment to

protect human life and dignity, and the principles of the

common good and the priority for the poor and vulnerable .

Pacem in TerrisPacem in Terris (#11) (#11)

But first We must speak of man's rights. Man has the right to live.

He has the right to bodily integrity and to the means necessary for the proper development of life,

particularly food, clothing, shelter, medical care, rest, and, finally, the necessary social services.

In consequence, he has the right to be looked after in the event of ill health;…

CATECHISM OF THE CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH CATHOLIC CHURCH (#1908)(#1908)

Certainly, it is the proper Certainly, it is the proper function of authority to function of authority to arbitrate, in the name of the arbitrate, in the name of the common good, between various common good, between various particular interests; particular interests;

but it should make accessible to but it should make accessible to each what is needed to lead a each what is needed to lead a truly human life: food, clothing,truly human life: food, clothing, healthhealth, work, education and , work, education and culture, suitable information, culture, suitable information, the right to establish a family,…the right to establish a family,…

CATECHISM OF THE CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH CATHOLIC CHURCH (#2211) (#2211)

The political community has a duty to honor The political community has a duty to honor the family, to assist it, and to ensure the family, to assist it, and to ensure especially: especially: - - the freedom to establish a family… the freedom to establish a family… - the protection of the stability of the marriage bond - the protection of the stability of the marriage bond and the institution of the family; and the institution of the family; - the freedom to profess one's faith… - the freedom to profess one's faith… - the right to private property, to free enterprise, to - the right to private property, to free enterprise, to obtain work and housing, and the right to emigrate; obtain work and housing, and the right to emigrate;

- - in keeping with the country's in keeping with the country's institutions, the institutions, the right to right to medical caremedical care, , assistance for assistance for the aged, and family benefits; the aged, and family benefits; - the protection of security and - the protection of security and HealthHealth

COMPENDIUM OF THE COMPENDIUM OF THE SOCIAL DOCTRINE OF THE SOCIAL DOCTRINE OF THE CHURCH CHURCH ((166) 166) The demands of the common good… The demands of the common good…

connected to respect for and the integral connected to respect for and the integral promotion of the person and his promotion of the person and his fundamental rights[349fundamental rights[349]. ].

These demands concern…These demands concern… the provision of the provision of essential services essential services

to all, some of which are at the to all, some of which are at the same time same time human rightshuman rights: food, : food, housing, work, education and housing, work, education and access to culture, transportation, access to culture, transportation, basic health care,basic health care, the freedom of the freedom of communication and expression, and communication and expression, and the protection of religious the protection of religious freedom[350]...freedom[350]...

It is not right: millions lack basic coverage

and many risk losing what they have as costs rise.

Has real consequences…life and death consequences

health care should not depend on where you or your parents work, whether you have a pre-existing condition, whether you can afford insurance, where you live or when you got here

We can do better

Have the capacity and resources to ensure that all have access to health care.

Need to find the political will and practical ways to ensure that no one lacks access to basic health care.

How?“Wide variety of options…

Solidarity and Subsidiarity Individual and family Community , Religious and other

Organizations Market: employers, health care

providers, insurers, private sector

Government: local, state, federal

Washington:

USCCB Criteria a truly universal health policy with

respect for human life and dignity; access for all with a special

concern for the poor; pursuing the common good and

preserving pluralism including freedom of conscience and variety of options;

restraining costs and applying them equitably across the spectrum of payers.

USCCB Advocacy Ensure access to quality, affordable,

life-giving health care for all; Retain longstanding requirements that

federal funds not be used for elective abortions or plans that include them, and effectively protect conscience rights; and,

Protect the access to health care that immigrants currently have and remove current barriers to access.

House bill met criteria. Senate did House bill met criteria. Senate did not.not.

Opposed legislation in final form:Opposed legislation in final form: Failed to meet abortion/ conscience criteria and Failed to meet abortion/ conscience criteria and

made the situation of legal immigrants worsemade the situation of legal immigrants worse

HHS Mandate A week ago, HHS final rule mandated

contraception and sterilization at no cost in all plans, offering a very narrow religious exception and year of "grace" to comply.

most Catholic ministries compelled to provide and pay for "services" (i.e., sterilization and contraception, including some abortifacients) that are clear violation of Catholic teaching.

,   

HHS Mandate government telling ministries they are

not religious if they serves or employs non-members of that religious body.

Faith calls us to "serve least of these" without regard for religious affiliation.

serve the poor, the hungry, the sick, the homeless, and educate children "not because they are Catholic, but because we are.“

bad morality, bad policy, bad precedent, (…bad politics, done badly)

 

Role of Church Make the case for moral

urgency/priority Encourage, welcome debate on how… offer ethical criteria and help define

economic choices, asses alternatives for moral

dimensions and human consequences, Insist on the participation of the

poor…voice for the voiceless Contribute to discussion and advocate

our principles/policies

Faithful Citizenship

“Affordable and accessible health care is an essential safeguard of human life and a fundamental human right.

With an estimated 47 million Americans lacking health care coverage, it is also an urgent national priority.

Faithful Citizenship

Reform of the nation’s health care system needs to be rooted in values

respect human dignity, protect human life, and meet the needs of the poor and

uninsured, especially born and unborn children, pregnant women, immigrants, and other vulnerable populations.

Religious groups should be able to provide health care without compromising their religious convictions.

Deus Caritas Est…Love for widows and orphans,

prisoners, and the sick and needy of every kind is as essential to her as the ministry of the sacraments and preaching of the Gospel.

The church cannot neglect the service of charity anymore than she can neglect the sacraments and the word.

Deus Caritas Est #21

Caritas in Veritate“If we love others with

charity, then first if all we are just towards them.

Not only is justice not extraneous to charity, …justice is inseparable from charity, and intrinsic to it.

Justice is the primary way of charity.”

Deus Caritas Est … charity must animate the entire lives of the lay faithful and therefore also their political activity, lived as “social charity.

Deus Caritas Est #29

CATECHISM OF THE CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH CATHOLIC CHURCH (#2288)(#2288)

Life and physical health are precious gifts Life and physical health are precious gifts entrusted to us by God. entrusted to us by God.

We must take reasonable care of them, We must take reasonable care of them, taking into account the needs of others taking into account the needs of others and the common good. Concern for the and the common good. Concern for the health of its citizens requires that society health of its citizens requires that society help in the attainment of living-conditions help in the attainment of living-conditions that allow them to grow and reach that allow them to grow and reach maturity: food and clothing, housing, maturity: food and clothing, housing,

HEALTH CAREHEALTH CARE, basic education, , basic education, employment, and social assistance.employment, and social assistance.

Pacem in TerrisPacem in Terris

19. 19. Besides wages, various Besides wages, various social benefits intended to social benefits intended to ensure the life and ensure the life and health of health of workers workers and their families and their families play a part here. play a part here.

medical assistance should be medical assistance should be easily available for workers, easily available for workers, and that as far as possible it and that as far as possible it should be cheap or even free should be cheap or even free of chargeof charge. .

Four USCCB CriteriaFour USCCB Criteria

a truly universal health policy that a truly universal health policy that respects all human life and dignity, from respects all human life and dignity, from conception to natural death; conception to natural death;

access for all with a special concern for access for all with a special concern for the poor and inclusion of legal the poor and inclusion of legal immigrants; immigrants;

pursuing the common good and pursuing the common good and preserving pluralism including freedom preserving pluralism including freedom of conscience and variety of options; of conscience and variety of options;

and restraining costs and applying them and restraining costs and applying them equitably across the spectrum of payers.equitably across the spectrum of payers.