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RESOURCES
SYNDEMICS PREVENTION NETWORK David R. Williams
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Health Care Reform
“Is there no balm in Gil’ad? Is there no physician there? Why then is the health of my people not restored?” (Jeremiah 8:22)
“Then Jesus called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal.” (Luke 9:1-2)
Strategic Campaigns The Gamaliel Foundation, a network of 1,600 congregations, will engage in strategic statewide and national campaigns to achieve universal access to affordable, quality health care for all residents of the United States. We face a national crisis, in which more than 47 million people in this country have no health insurance, many millions more are inadequately insured, soaring costs threaten personal, corporate, and social economies, and uneven access to quality health care creates yet another harsh dividing line in our society. We bring our faith and values to the issue of health care reform. We affirm sacred community, equal opportunity for all, shared abundance, and good stewardship.
Health Care a God Given Right Our current health care system reinforces social division in this nation between those who have and those who have not. The Gamaliel Foundation asserts its faith values of sacred community and equal opportunity for all. Each person has an equal right to quality health care. Healing and community are central themes in the scriptures of our faith traditions and a sign of the presence of God. To deny access to health care is to defy the will of God for all who struggle with any form of illness. To offer access to some and to deny it to others is to defy the will of God for a human community. Economic and racial disparities in access to health care must be eliminated. We will organize for health care reform that is faithful to our vision of the beloved community. Universal access to health care is a vision that flows from our faith and values.
The current health care system is all too rooted in false claims of scarcity, and it is no accident that people of color, undocumented workers and the poor are the ones who experience this “scarcity” at higher rates than others. The Gamaliel Foundation asserts its faith value of shared abundance. Shared abundance is an affirmation that God provides humanity with sufficient resources for affordable, quality health care for all. Shared abundance is not an excuse for waste, outlandish administrative costs, greed, or lack of personal responsibility for one’s health. Society and its individuals are responsible to be good stewards of all that God provides. We will organize for health care reform that controls costs and is financially sustainable for society and individuals. Our values of shared abundance and good stewardship impel us to seek affordable, quality health care for all.
Principles The Gamaliel Foundation will engage in organizing efforts for health care reform at the national and state level around the following principles:
Health care coverage should be guaranteed to everyone living in the United States.
Health care should be affordable and accessible to all, with special consideration for low income individuals and families. Health care should be cost-effective and sustainable for society.
Health care should be of high quality for everyone.
Health care coverage should be continuous, regardless of employment status or pre-existing condition.
Health care coverage should be comprehensive, covering all types of illnesses and health conditions, and include preventative care.
Victories Metropolitan Congregations United (MCU), Gamaliel affiliate in St. Louis, MO working with allies won presumptive eligibility for children several years ago, which gave 90,000 additional children health care coverage for several years – this was later lost, but in 2007 MCU won coverage for 10,000 people this year in a very tough state legislative environment. They hope to win a far more inclusive program in the next few years.
United Action in Connecticut (UACT), a Gamaliel affiliate in Hartford, CT working with allies won $460 million to increase Medicaid reimbursements from 35% to 70%, increasing the access to health care for those on Medicaid. They also plan to push for Universal Access to affordable, quality health care.
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