Commentary: A Biblical view of
universal health care – Part 1
By Stephen Brown, The Layman, September 4, 2009
Health care reform has gripped the nation’s attention. The Presbyterian Lay Committee lists four objectives under our mission statement that guide us, the fourth of which states: “To inform and equip individual Christians in the PCUSA and other denominations to engage the ethical and moral issues in cultural, economic and political affairs as Christ’s active disciples.”
To that end, we will explore God’s Word on and our duty as disciples regarding issues in the health care debate.
Click here for more Layman articles on health care
The subject of physical and mental health is a theological issue. As the Creator, God designed our bodies and calls us to serve as stewards of them as a sacred trust. The physical body matters to God. He is the Great Physician and we seek to discern the mind of Christ on matters of health. Likewise, as stewards of the good gifts of God, we are also called to make wise decisions that are in accordance with God’s revealed will.
The Great Physician: Compassion for and care of the needy
In John 5, Jesus encountered a great number of disabled people at the pool of Bethesda. In a nanosecond He could have healed everyone, but He chose to heal only one. Why? It is a mystery. We acknowledge that God has the sovereign power of healing and yet we observe that He chooses who will be healed and when the healing will occur.
Jesus said in Matthew 25:35-40 “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me … I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.”
Jesus calls His disciples to be personally involved in caring for others. This call to compassionate service to the hurting and broken echoes many passages throughout the prophets like Isaiah 58:7 where we are told to show personal compassion for those in need.
Few will disagree that we should help those in need. The debate has always been how best to help, desiring to promote solutions that are sustainable and where the one helped gets up and walks on their own. The action taken by Peter and John in Acts 3 is informative here. They did not give the beggar alms to feed him for a day as he hoped. Instead they gave him the very power in the name of Jesus that transformed his entire reality and enabled him to walk on his own.
God loves the truth
Isaiah 45:19 reads, “I, the Lord, speak the truth; I declare what is right.” John 1:14 reads, “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” In John 14:6 Jesus tells us “I am the way and the truth and the life.” And God reveals in John 16:13 that “…when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth.” Satan is the father of lies, but God is the revealer of all truth. As children of God, we are called to seek the truth and speak the truth, even when it is difficult to hear.
Here are some “hard truths” to ponder if we are to be informed about current proposals for universal health care in the United States:
The quality of health care will change.
The United States is among the best places in the world to be sick or injured. Emergency medical care is available to everyone through hospitals. Non-profit health care providers like St. Jude’s and Shriners provide children access to care that exceeds that available anywhere else in the world. People of means come to the U.S. from Canada, Europe, the Middle East and Asia for medical care. The reverse scenario is not true. Do you ever hear of someone from the U.S. going to Canada or Great Britain for medical care? One statistic is illustrative: under Canada’s universal plan, Canadians have an overall cancer death rate that is 16 percent higher than in the U.S. The cause? The systemic “lag” between diagnosis and access to treatment.
The plan proposed by Congress for the American public is not good enough for Congress.
Politicians who are opposed to the plan as currently drafted introduced a provision that required senators and congressmen to be included in the plan. That provision was defeated. People have repeatedly asked politicians if they will give up their “Cadillac” plan for the nationalized plan. They refuse to answer the question. The president avoided the issue when asked questions at his press conference by speaking instead about the doctor who follows him around.
How many Americans truly lack access to health care services?
In recent months it has repeatedly been alleged that there are 47 million Americans who cannot afford health insurance, which suggests that there are 47 million Americans who lack access to health care. But lack of health insurance does not equate to unavailable care. The network of free clinics in the U.S. grows every year – not through government initiatives, but through the compassionate service of neighbor to neighbor. Politicians appeal to the emotions of Americans stating that dramatic reform must happen to take care of these fellow citizens, but do the statistics actually support the conclusion? The 47 million comes from the U.S. Census Bureau report. According to the Census Bureau, about 10 million are illegal aliens, 17 million are people who make more than $50,000 annually and choose not to have health insurance and 10 million are people who have access to government plans such as Medicaid and people between jobs who are also between insurance plans.
That leaves about 10 million who presumably can’t afford health insurance, about 3 percent of the population.
Mandatory universal health care will require rationing.
Among the most troubling provisions of the proposed plan is rationing. A federal health agency would determine “who” gets to be at the front of the line. From a Kingdom of God ethic, the last and the least would be first, and the first (or the youngest and healthiest) would be last. However, under the congressional proposal people who have the longest life expectancy would be at the front of the line.
For folks who don’t like the system we have now, where the poor and needy cannot afford health insurance, they will not like it anymore when the seniors are denied access to care
“Honor your father and mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.” (Exodus 20:12). With a universal health care plan, will we be able to honor our parents? A government plan that leads to rationing health care as it has in Canada and European countries will hamper our ability to honor our parents. Those who are older, have a shorter life expectancy and who need more care will be the last to receive care.
Caring for the Caregivers.
Many doctors do not currently accept Medicare. Will they be required by law to participate in a plan that is bigger and more bureaucratic? Historically the health care profession has drawn the brightest and the best among us. As the expectation of remuneration decreases and the administrative work required by an ever increasing bureaucratic oversight increases, fewer and fewer people will enter the health care field. If we want the best health care in the world then we need the best doctors and nurses in the world and that requires a plan that compensates and cares for the caregivers.
There is
universal agreement that reform is needed to our present health care system. Many experts see the need for tort reform, incentives for cost controls and increased accountability.
Medicare as well as Medicaid reform is needed to avoid insolvency and many believe additional regulation of the pharmaceutical and insurance industries are required.
As Christians, it is our duty to advocate and work for change when we recognize discrepancies in things as fundamental as the delivery of health care. Indeed, we believe that all things are continually in need of reform – but always according to the Word of God.
Now is the time for discernment. Now is the time for serious and transparent debate in the development of real solutions to difficult problems.
Health care touches everyone and comprises 16 percent of the nation’s economy. Radical changes to its delivery are justifiably troubling if the changes have not been adequately evaluated and debated. A highly complex bill that many politicians admit they have not even read is cause for great concern.
“Folly delights a man who lacks judgment, but a man of understanding keeps a straight course. Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed” (Proverbs 15:21-22). The enormity of this issue cannot be overstated. We pray for America to seek God’s wisdom and truth and to let their voices be heard. Congress needs many advisers! May they hear from Christian disciples as we seek to understand and communicate the very counsel of God.
Stephen G. Brown is an elder at First Presbyterian Church of Haines City, Florida. He is chairman of the Board of Directors and chief executive officer of the Presbyterian Lay Committee.
Note: Space does not allow us to cover of all the issues related to the health care debate. For more discussion see the commentary by Parker T. Williamson and look for additional articles at The Layman Online.