What's Happening with Health Care?
[PC(USA) Washington Office]
Sun, Aug 9 2009 7:04 AM CDT
Congress has made significant progress on health reform in the last two weeks. On the House side, all three committees have approved a bill (which vary slightly from each other) and the compromise awaits consideration by the full House when they return after the August recess. On the Senate side, one of two committees has approved a bill, and the other is expected to release their version of the health insurance overhaul in early September. Though neither chamber has taken a full vote yet, the process is underway.
The proposals look somewhat promising -- both the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee (HELP) proposal (the one that has been approved by its committee) and the joint (tri-committee) House proposal would make the health insurance market more accountable to patients by significantly reforming the private insurance market and including a public health insurance option. Though none of the proposals on the table include a single-payer system like the one for which the 218th General Assembly (2008) expressed support, the expansion in coverage that these bills would bring would reach tens of millions of people who do not currently have access to health coverage, and therefore, care. Congress is not taking the approach the PC(USA) has called for, but is moving in the right direction.
Health care reform is very close to becoming a reality, but the remaining hurdle is the question of money. Congress needs to agree on how to finance this reform effort. Your members of Congress need to hear your voice this August recess. As you can imagine, opponents of change are well organized and financed. We have heard that calls to members' offices run 3 to 1 against health care reform. If people want improvements in the health care system, controls over private insurance, and a major step toward a single payer plan, members need to hear about it - now.
Your Senators will be in your state August 8-31, while and your Representative is probably already home, the House having adjourned last week. Call your Members' district offices right away to schedule a meeting. Your members of Congress may also be holding local town hall meetings on health care (information should be posted on their websites). Let your members of Congress know that you want everyone in the United States to have access to equal, accessible, affordable, high-quality health care.
General Assembly Guidance:
In 2002, the General Assembly approved "Advocacy on Behalf of the Uninsured," in which it:
- Reaffirm[ed] the church's commitment to advocacy for a national medical plan.
- Encourage[d] presbyteries, sessions, and the members of congregations to be advocates for universal health care and to support advocacy efforts in their local communities to bring public and private entities together in this effort.
- Encourage[d] members of Congress to recognize the importance of universal health care - that is, equal, accessible, affordable, and high-quality health care for all persons residing in our nation.
In 2008, the 218th General Assembly:
- Endorse[d] in principle the provision of single-payer universal health care reform in which health care services are privately provided and publicly financed.
- Direct[ed] the General Assembly Council, through appropriate offices including the National Health Ministries, the Washington Office, and the Presbyterian Health, Education, and Welfare Association (PHEWA), to advocate for, educate about, and otherwise pursue the goal of obtaining legislation that enacts single-payer, universal national health insurance as the program that best responds to the moral imperative of the gospel; monitoring progress toward this goal and reporting back to the next two General Assemblies (2010 and 2012).