Christus Medicus and Single Payer

On Saturday, March 16, I went to a talk at the Newman Center in Pittsburgh titled:

Wine, Cheese, and Catholic Response to Healthcare Reform

Dr. Brian Donnelly, MD

It was given by pediatrician Brian Donnelly, MD.  He spoke mostly of the Affordable Care Act's (ACA) contraception and abortion mandate.  He did not directly address the need for comprehensive health but directed everyone to the Christus Medicus Foundation so I thought I would check them out on the web.  They are hosting a this summer conference called where Rep. Jeff Fortenberry R-NE is scheduled to speak and Sarah Palin protege Sen Ted Cruz R-TX is invited to speak.  

They claim "To actively promote Christ-centered health care in the public square and in the marketplace" and to even have their own insurance plan available to foundation members that is in accordance with the US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).  An audience member (not me) pointed out that the USCCB has called for public health insurance since 1920 and Dr. Donnelly stated that he "was fully aware of their position.  In fact, Mr. Obama took advantage of the Church’s stance to push the legislation through."  The brochure of the foundation plan called Active Care can be read here and does not sound that different from other private plans with deductibles and copays that can be purchased except that they are fighting the contraception mandate in the ACA.  He did state how the healthcare system should not be profit driven.

After his talk I asked him if he was aware of the study that estimated that 45,000 Americans died each year due to a lack of health insurance (see supporting info in related posts below).  He said he was not but he would be happy to look at it.  We exchanged business cards.  If he is receptive to the notion of born Americans dying under the current system, I will tell him about the economic impact study for the state of Pennsylvania which State Sen. Jim Ferlo introduced today in Harrisburg which shows that care can be administered more efficiently.  I hope Dr. Donnelly looks at how Lawrence O'Donnell's commentary (from Feb 10, 2012) on how a Single payer system could avoid the dilemma over the contraception mandate forcing religious institutions to cover things that they don't believe in.  The ideological gap in this country over abortion and sexuality may not be bridgeable but I hope that it can be overcome to find a just healthcare system.

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**Related Posts**

Santorum: No One Has Ever Died Because They Didn’t Have Health Care | The New Civil Rights Movement

STOP Obamacare in Pennsylvania and the Uninsured

Economic Impact Study Press Release

Religious Freedom and Single Payer Health Care Reform

Check out this great MSN video: How America got into birth control mess

Religious Freedom and Single Payer Health Care Reform

Karen Santorum before she met Rick and had 7 kids

With the second anniversary of the Affordable Care Act, the protests are heating up and the Supreme Court is about to hear arguments about the case.  In Pittsburgh on Friday there was a rally titled "Stand Up for Religious Freedom" which was about the HHS mandate for employers and religious institutions to cover contraception, sterilization and morning after pills like RU-486.  The speeches in the videos (taken by Patricia Newman Hahn, their counterpart to Julie Sokolow) were restricted to the mandate though I believe that many in the crowd are also opposed to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) or any other "socialized medicine" while an estimated 98% of Catholic women including Karen Santorum use contraception at one time or another.  

While the Catholic Church (including Bishop Zubik) has been vocal in it's opposition to the mandate, it has supported universal health care coverage.  For example, the US Conference of Catholic Bishops has criticized the ACA because it does not cover illegal immigrants and promoted events like Cover the Uninsured Week.  They have issued many other statements in favor of comprehensive reform except when it relates to matters of abortion and contraception.  Pope Benedict himself has supported universal health care, except for abortion and contraception of course.


I posted an editorial earlier about Lawrence O'Donnell's editorial about how the whole HHS mandate controversy would be moot under a single payer system as employers would not have to worry about providing coverage.  Would they still campaign against it being paid for?

**Update**

Today, June 8 at noon, there will be more Stand Up for Rallies in Mellon Square Pittsburgh and other places throughout PA and the US.  Info is below.

Cities and Towns Participating in the June 8 Rally

Check out this great MSN video: How America got into birth control mess

Two nights ago MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell discussed why the whole birth control/Catholic Church "controversy" would be moot under a Single Payer system.  (Obama just announced that religious employers won't have to provide contraceptives, insurers will) Why didn't he say this when these deals were being made?

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I saw this image on Facebook posted by a staunch Ron Paul, an Obstetrician, supporter and had to post it because it's so silly.  It resembles a WWI propaganda poster.  Yes what happens in the womb is important for the child's well being but what happens after birth is at least as important.  Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, when a Presidential candidate in March 2011, declared that his state was the "safest to be an unborn child."  As Jon Stewart points out his state is the least safe to be a newborn child.  Most of this "debate" is really just petty pandering to people deepest fears, like death panels, to prevent them from enacting the very thing that can improve their lives.
 

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