United Methodist advocates rally for universal health care
5/1/2003
WASHINGTON
(UMNS) - An executive of the United Methodist social-action agency spoke
in favor of universal health care at a rally supporting such a
resolution in the House of Representatives.
The four-hour,
open-air rally in a park across the street from the U.S. capitol
featured several members of Congress and representatives of such
organizations as the National Health Law Program, American Public Health
Association, National Medical Association and Association of American
Medical Colleges. The ethnic congressional caucuses sponsored the April
29 event.
"For too many in today's America, health care is not
there when you need it," said the Rev. Jackson Day, the United Methodist
Board of Church and Society executive who works on health and wholeness
issues.
"Our major faith bodies, including my own, consider
health care a right for all, not a privilege for those who can afford
it," Day declared. "In the richest nation of the world, lack of coverage
for over 40 million uninsured, who thereby receive less health care
than others or must go into bankruptcy to pay for the care they receive,
is a moral outrage."
He joined other speakers in supporting
House Concurrent Resolution 99, which directs Congress to enact
legislation that provides comprehensive health care for all Americans.
It has been referred to the House Subcommittee on Health subsequent to
introduction on March 18.
In his remarks, Day urged affordable
health care, efficiently managed and available to all regardless of
color, language or locality.
"We need a system that supports
prevention and early intervention," he said. "We need a health care
system that provides continuity of care and coverage."
Day said
U.S. people need a health-care system with a sufficient number of
qualified caregivers who are paid adequately and in timely fashion. He
also advocated a system that allows patients to select their providers
to best meet their own needs. The present system is so cumbersome that
it is harder and harder for providers to offer quality care, so that
"the health care system itself is a leading cause of death," he said.
"We
are already spending twice as much as other developed countries for
health care," he observed. "Our current system costs too much, covers
too little and excludes too many."
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