This past weekend, some parishes in Davenport promoted a message from Quad Cities Interfaith (QCI) about health care coverage reform. Parishioners were asked to sign a postcard from QCI. The cards were collected for delivery to both of Iowa’s senators.
Here are some distinctive points about health care reform from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops that should have been included on the postcards:
• Health care reform should bring about a truly universal health policy that protects and respects human life and dignity from conception until natural death.
• Health care reform should assure access for all with a special concern for the poor.
• Health care reform should pursue the common good and preserve pluralism, including freedom of conscience of patients and providers and offer a variety of health care plans and choices of providers.
• Health care reform efforts should be in partnership with all the stakeholders including employers, charitable organizations, health care providers and government. All stakeholders should have access to a health care system that respects their moral and religious beliefs.
• Health care reform should keep the Hyde Amendment.
• Health care reform should restrain costs and apply them equitably across the spectrum of payers.
• Health care reform should create effective measures to reduce waste, inefficiency and unnecessary care; have incentives to individuals and providers for effective and economical use of resources; have measures to control rising costs.
• Health care reform should oppose abortion, euthanasia and birth control funding because it is wrong to compel people to pay for policies and procedures that fundamentally violate their religious and moral convictions.
Jeanne Wonio
Davenport
