Florida Bishop [Thomas Wenski] Weighs in on Health Care Reform

Zenit.org ^ | SEPT. 11, 2009 | Bishop Thomas Wenski

[Salvation]

Florida Bishop Weighs in on Health Care Reform

Says US Prelates Aren't Giving up the Debate

ORLANDO, Florida, SEPT. 11, 2009 (Zenit.org).- The bishop of Orlando is affirming that the U.S. prelates are not going to give up the debate and the appeal for "genuine" health care reform that respects life.

Bishop Thomas Wenski affirmed this in an article published Wednesday in the Orlando Sentinel.

He addressed the current national debate over health care reform, which has "generated much heat and little light."

The prelate underlined the position of the U.S. Catholic bishops, affirming the need for "reform that leads to health care for all."

"Any reform should aim at health care that is accessible, affordable and respects the life and dignity of every human being from the moment of conception to the moment of natural death," he asserted.

The prelate stressed the Church's knowledge in the field, as "an employer and thus a purchaser of health care" as well as "a provider of health care."

Furthermore, he stated, "in our parishes, our pantries, our Catholic Charities offices, we strive to help the people who have fallen through the cracks -- those who are not served or who are underserved by our present system of health care delivery."

Thus, the bishop said, "we bring no little experience to the debate."

Fundamental issue

He affirmed: "We support truly universal access to health care. We want care accessible and affordable to the poor and vulnerable. 

"We champion efforts to improve efficiency and quality while restraining costs and applying them equitably across the spectrum of payers."

Bishop Wenski stated, "For the Church, the fundamental issue is one of human life and dignity."

For this reason, he explained, the bishops' conference "has remained engaged in the current debate" so that, "through dialogue over principles and policies" they can "ensure that any enacted legislation will be something positive."

"At any rate," the prelate said, "we continue to insist that health care reform is too important and legitimate a goal to allow it to be hijacked by destructive agendas."

"As the debate continues," he stated, "the bishops will continue to advocate for health care reform that is truly universal and that protects human life at every stage of development."

Bishop Wenski concluded: "Our government and laws must also retain explicit protection for the freedom of conscience of health care workers and health care institutions. 

"Genuine health care reform that protects the life and dignity of all is a moral imperative and a vital national obligation."

[Salvation]

U.S. prelates are not going to give up the debate and the appeal for "genuine" health care reform that respects life.

[Salvation]

Catholic Discussion Ping!

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[Salvation]

**”As the debate continues,” he stated, “the bishops will continue to advocate for health care reform that is truly universal and that protects human life at every stage of development.”

Bishop Wenski concluded: “Our government and laws must also retain explicit protection for the freedom of conscience of health care workers and health care institutions.

“Genuine health care reform that protects the life and dignity of all is a moral imperative and a vital national obligation.”**

Your comments?

[Salvation]

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[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

It is clear that if there is no hard pro-life provision in Obamacare the bishops will oppose it.

If there is, they will support it.

[Quiller]

It is clear that if there is no hard pro-life provision in Obamacare the bishops will oppose it.

If there is, they will support it.

Bishops' support or not -- it's hard to see it as overly relevant.

Most of the Catholics I know pick and choose their religious commitments anyway; it's hard to see the bishops' support as being significant.

People who support 0 will rationalize their support, regardless of what religious leaders say.

[Miss Marple]

I would like to see some suggestions from the Bishops on how to give universal health insurance without bankrupting the country. I am glad they are standing firm on the pro-life position, but I don't know that they understand the costs of this to the nation as a whole.

We already have universal care. No one can be denied treatment in this country because he is indigent. That is why emergency rooms are full of people who really should be in a doctor's office.

My solution:

1. Massive tort reform, to reduce insurance premiums for doctors and to decrease the amount of defensive medicine practiced.
2. The creation of a catastrophic illness fund paid into by all insurance companies to help subsidize the costs of the insured who incur excessive costs.
3. Insurance portability across state lines, and independent of employer.
4. The ability of insured people to choose their policies. For example, as an older woman I do not need to be paying premiums to cover me for pregnancy, sexually transmitted disease, drug abuse treatment, etc. As a corollary, younger people need not pay for Alzheimer coverage. The costs of those individual items should be listed separately, much as earthquake insurance is done in homeowners' policies.
5. Insurance shouldn't pay for normal doctor visits. Those costs should be paid for through medical savings accounts, and insurance should have a larger deductible, again, reducing the cost.

The Bishops don't seem to have any specifics and it's not helpful to simply issue general statements which can be used by the administration as evidence of support for their plan. I understand their duties to encourage the most compassionate ways to address this problem, but some specifics that could be discussed would be more productive, in my opinion.

[Mad Dawg]

+1

[The Great RJ]

The Bishops understand that Obamacare’s very premise of giving the most care to those “most productive” and cutting it to the elderly and new born is not respective of human life.

[Salvation]

**If there is, they will support it.**

I think all the bishops would say that the bills needs to be rid of the death care counseling and provisions for euthanasia too. It’s not only about abortion.

[Salvation]

You have some great suggestions there. Is it time to send them to the Bishops?

[CdMGuy]

The Bishops are having pipe dreams. Our Bishop Gerald Barnes of the San Bernardino, CA Diocese penned an article in the diocese monthly newsletter. Pie-in-the-sky thinking. Everyone deserves health care as a human right. Oh really? How is it going to be paid for? What happens when millions more people flood a health care system that would not have enough doctors and medical facilities, etc., etc., etc. Oh, and of course they do not address the issue of illegal immigrants. In fact, he seems to make it sound like all immigrants are legal and deserving of health care.

[sockmonkey]

The Bishops are having pipe dreams.

I agree. I think some of the Bishops are under the delusion that Obama & crew can be swayed or that those pushing for the Rat Healthcare plan care what anyone, Bishop or Peasant thinks.

[JoeFromSidney]

The Bishops are abysmally ignorant about economics. Of course, they're also abysmally ignorant about physics and chemistry. Fortunately they're wise enough not to make pronouncements about physics and chemistry. Unfortunately, they don't show the same wisdom when it comes to economic issues. They don't even realize when they're talking nonsense.

Everyone has a right to health. If someone poisons you, or breaks your leg, or otherwise diminishes your health, you have been wronged. However, your right to health does not extend to a right to demand that someone else pay for repairs to your health. No one ever has a right to someone else's honestly-gained resources.

[Jeff Chandler]

The Bishops are abysmally ignorant about economics. . . .They don't even realize when they're talking nonsense.

Yep. They are are all for a government takeover of health care if they get a promise from the Marxists about abortion and euthanasia.

Fools.