What exactly is universal health care if it isn’t provided by the GOVERNMENT?The Church does not necessarily support health care provided by the GOVERNMENT. There is a huge difference between doing as God wants us to do and having the government take our resources by force. Especially in the case that abortions will be part of any “universal health care” provided.
This is probably the case. But why would we expect differently? No business just gives away its services. Restaurants dont just feed anyone who comes by. But I think all hospitals do provide some free or reduced cost care for the needy.Anyone can clearly see that the Market doesn’t see any profit in providing health care to everyone.
Not necessarily. The Church could promise to pay for any unpaid health care bills. Human nature being what it is there will be lots more unpaid bills in that case. Having the government take that role does not stop the same results from occurring. It just takes away your ability to not contribute as the outrages increase.If the Church provides health care, thats great, but that doesn’t mean it’s universal.
Universal means it’s run in the same way the police or fire department are.
The government is going to have to find a way to bring down health care costs and premiums. The’yre increasing at an unsustainable rate.Not necessarily. The Church could promise to pay for any unpaid health care bills. Human nature being what it is there will be lots more unpaid bills in that case. Having the government take that role does not stop the same results from occurring. It just takes away your ability to not contribute as the outrages increase.
IF we agree that this is what is meant by the term universal health care, then we can say that the Church does NOT oblige us to support it. Which is a good thing, as I don’t.What exactly is universal health care if it isn’t provided by the GOVERNMENT?
Agreed. Or neighbors could pitch in. We see our local community hold fundraisers for medical costs of those who cannot pay all the time in our area.This is probably the case. But why would we expect differently? No business just gives away its services. Restaurants dont just feed anyone who comes by. But I think all hospitals do provide some free or reduced cost care for the needy.
Not necessarily. The Church could promise to pay for any unpaid health care bills. Human nature being what it is there will be lots more unpaid bills in that case. Having the government take that role does not stop the same results from occurring. It just takes away your ability to not contribute as the outrages increase.
Is this the attitude of the British in general? Oh, we don’t need to have children, when we get old we’ll just import other nations’ and families’ children to take care of us? We’ll just keep the the med students we need here to take care of us rather than going back to their own nations to take care of the people there?Then you employ people from overseas. The NHS attracts doctors and nurses from all over the world. Does your government allow hospitals to become short-staffed and doesn’t employ immigrants?
Yes, we are to care for the sick - but the Church gives no guidance at all on how we are to do this. It is an entirely lay (prudential) responsibility.The Church is the body of Christ, teaching all his teachings; one of which was to care for the sick, WITHOUT qualification or exemption of anyone.
No one has suggested this.Please show me where we are to be concerned with ONLY ourselves, collecting all we can of this world, without sharing, or giving as He gave to us?
The Church supports the right of individuals to access to health care. If that’s how “universal health care” is defined then we have it today. It would be helpful if you would define the terms you’re using.The Church supports universal healthcare, however we can achieve it.
Universal healthcare for all is just that and not ‘access to healthcare’ for those that can afford it.Yes, we are to care for the sick - but the Church gives no guidance at all on how we are to do this. It is an entirely lay (prudential) responsibility.
No one has suggested this.
The Church supports the right of individuals to access to health care. If that’s how “universal health care” is defined then we have it today. It would be helpful if you would define the terms you’re using.
Ender
Our Church , the Apostolic Church, pioneered the establisment of institutions staffed by physicians who treated and prescribed remedies, and where nurses were also available, and by the fourth century the Church began to establish hospitals on a large scale.The Church is the body of Christ, teaching all his teachings; one of which was to care for the sick, WITHOUT qualification or exemption of anyone. Please show me where we are to be concerned with ONLY ourselves, collecting all we can of this world, without sharing, or giving as He gave to us?
The Church supports universal healthcare, however we can achieve it.
Define what you mean by universal health care and we can discuss whether the Church commands us to implement it. As for access to health care in the US, we have it, and not merely for those who can afford to purchase insurance. Not-for-profit hospitals treat the indigent.Universal healthcare for all is just that and not ‘access to healthcare’ for those that can afford it.
I live in a rural area. 20 miles to the West is another small rural town. Recently, Sacred Heart built and opened a hospital in that town West of here. You must have insurance or be a ‘self pay’ if you go there. In my small town, there is a county hospital. County hospitals cannot turn anyone away. It’s very hard for our hospital to keep the doors open because of indigent care. I am not trying to cast the Catholic hospital in a negative light, it’s just an example of a Catholic institution vs. a government institution.Our Church , the Apostolic Church, pioneered the establisment of institutions staffed by physicians who treated and prescribed remedies, and where nurses were also available, and by the fourth century the Church began to establish hospitals on a large scale.
A great book for all Catholic posters is a recent one by Thomas E, Woods. Jr., Ph.D.
HOW THE CATHOLIC CHURCH BUILT WESTERN CIVILIZATION.
Peace, Carlan
It’s not that complicated. Healthcare for everyone, regardless of their income. ‘Care for the sick’, just as Jesus spoke of.Define what you mean by universal health care and we can discuss whether the Church commands us to implement it. As for access to health care in the US, we have it, and not merely for those who can afford to purchase insurance. Not-for-profit hospitals treat the indigent.
Ender
I agree Prodigal, however the outragious increases in the cost of medical care has knocked out the operating of Church run hospitals.I live in a rural area. 20 miles to the West is another small rural town. Recently, Sacred Heart built and opened a hospital in that town West of here. You must have insurance or be a ‘self pay’ if you go there. In my small town, there is a county hospital. County hospitals cannot turn anyone away. It’s very hard for our hospital to keep the doors open because of indigent care. I am not trying to cast the Catholic hospital in a negative light, it’s just an example of a Catholic institution vs. a government institution.
Now with the example above, which one is providing a ‘universal’ healthcare in our rural communities? I work on an ambulance in our county and have knowledge of how this works.
When we have a major trauma or illness, we transport to the closest cities, 50 miles to the West, and 70 Miles to the East. Both have county hospitals and again, we find ‘government’ hospitals that provide advanced medical treatments.
I have no doubts that the Church first started providing healthcare, however it simply doesn’t have the ‘universal’ reach that our governments do.
I know everyone agrees that we can use ‘government’ to accomplish Catholic goals in reference to abortion. We should have the same goals to use government to accomplish all of Christ’s intentions, even if it costs us in the form of taxes.I agree Prodigal, however the outragious increases in the cost of medical care has knocked out the operating of Church run hospitals.
Peace, Carlan
The problem is that evn with universal caremprovided by the government, the best would not be available to all either. The best is limited as is all healrh care, so not everyone will be able to partake.It’s not that complicated. Healthcare for everyone, regardless of their income. ‘Care for the sick’, just as Jesus spoke of.
Yes, we have ‘healthcare, but the poor don’t have access to the same quality of healthcare. As I mentioned the way county hospitals work, that is limited to immediate life saving healthcare. If cancer is discovered, further treatment becomes unavailable. Again, what is Jesus’ intentions on healthcare?
So we should just leave it so that only the richest has the very best healthcare?The problem is that evn with universal caremprovided by the government, the best would not be available to all either. The best is limited as is all healrh care, so not everyone will be able to partake.
At some point we will be forced to make certain decisions (as will the nations in Europe) because of demographics. We are entering a period in which there will be a bulge of people in the age group that uses the highest amount of health care, old age. The beginning of the Boomers (born in 1946) is turning 65 this year. Over the next ten years, there will be a huge number of people entering the Medicare system and using it.
I don’t think that Jesus’ reply in Mark 17 was a particular endorsement of taxes, even of Roman taxes. Remember, it was a trick question. Like an interviewer on a Sunday morning talk show, the questioner wished to trap him into a yes or no answer. “Is it lawful to pay the tax to the emperor or not? Are we to pay or not to pay?”In the teaching of Christ, that we are discussing, we should look to how Jesus responded concerning taxes. Did the Romans provide any social programs for the population at large? Yet Christ said render unto Caesar, that which is Caesar’s, which was taxes. We should be thankful that the world has evolved, especially our country, where our taxes can serve some of the teachings of Christ. Isn’t this what we do when we promote pro-life candidates?