By Moe Wosepka

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Catholic Health Association are leading proponents of health care reform legislation. In the midst of much debate over the value or lack of value of universal health coverage, many question why Catholics are leading the charge. This shouldn’t be a surprise, since the Catholic Church has been a health care leader in this country for over 200 years.

The very first privately operated Catholic hospital was opened by the Ursuline Sisters in New Orleans in 1728. Catholic health care has expanded to include health care clinics, hospitals, nursing homes and a host of other ministries. Currently, one out of six patients in the U.S. is treated in a Catholic hospital.

To be sure, there are valid concerns with the current proposals. Will reform cost too much? Will it require abortions to be performed in all health care facilities or payment for abortion made with tax dollars? Will reform violate current medical conscience protections and will care be rationed?

Bishop William F. Murphy, chairman of the USCCB Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, wrote a letter to members of Congress on behalf of the USCCB outlining the bishops’ priorities for genuine health care reform. They are as follows:

• A truly universal health policy with respect for human life and dignity;
• Access for all with a special concern for the poor and inclusion of legal immigrants;
• Pursuing the common good and preserving pluralism including freedom of conscience and variety of options; and
• Restraining costs and applying them equitably across the spectrum of payers.

He reiterates that the Church puts special emphasis on a health care plan that respects human life and dignity and a plan that offers access for all.

The Church has strong opposition to the inclusion of abortion as a service in the plan, as well as use of taxpayer money to fund abortion services. He also says the Church demands that Congress respect the rights of health care providers, hospitals and/or insurers who decline to participate in abortion or abortion related services.

Bishop Murphy also states that, “access…should not depend on their stage in life, where or whether they or their parents work, how much they earn, where they live, or where they were born. The Bishops’ Conference believes health care reform should be truly universal and it should be genuinely affordable.” (emphasis is his).

Representatives from the USCCB offered a recap of their lobbying efforts during a recent meeting of state Catholic conference directors in Chicago. They reported that all the proposals were moving targets and the language in the bills changed by the minute. Thus it was difficult to report on the specifics in a bill when it was changed before any alert was sent out. However, they told us that due to the line the Catholic bishops have taken on the four major principles, calmer heads in Congress understand that it is unlikely that genuine reform could pass without Catholic and other pro-life support.

Bishop Murphy sums up the importance of health care to Church:

“Health care is not just another issue for the Church or for a healthy society. It is a fundamental issue of human life and dignity. Health care is a critical component of the Catholic Church’s ministry. The Church provides health care, purchases health care and picks up the pieces of a failing health care system. The Catholic community encounters and serves the sick and uninsured in our emergency rooms, shelters and on the doorsteps of our parishes… Genuine health care reform that protects the life and dignity of all is a moral imperative and a vital national obligation.”


Ed.: Bishop Murphy’s letter is available at www.usccb.org/upload/2009-07-17-murphy-letter-congress.pdf; for additional resources, visit www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/human-life-and-dignity/health-care/.

Moe Wosepka is the executive director of the Montana Catholic Conference. You can reach him by phone at 442-5761, email director@montanacc.org or check out the website www.montanacc.org.


Published in The Montana Catholic Online, Volume 25, No. 8, August 21, 2009.