Friday, January 21, 2011

Should Catholic Bishops be controlling health insurance coverage for all Americans?

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, which has lobbied for decades to persuade the government to provide universal health insurance, says it opposes the bill unless it bans the use of subsidies for plans that cover abortion. "We have said to the White House and various Senate offices that we could be the best friends to this bill if our concerns are met," Richard M. Doerflinger, a spokesman for the bishops on abortion issues, said in an interview. "But the concerns are kind of intractable."
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It may be an overstatement to say the USCCB has lobbied for decades to persuade the government to provide universal health insurance. They have, in general terms, encouraged the government to protect its citizens' access to adequate, quality health care, but the USCCB has not typically dictated specific policy decisions. The US bishops, and the Catholic Church in general, exist to teach the Gospel of Christ, which is professed in specific doctrinal and moral teachings. Neither the US bishops, nor the Catholic Church in general, exist to make policy decisions regarding economics or political structures. Thus, the US bishops do not get involved with policy questions (whether a public option is a good idea or not, etc.). They do get involved when specific moral truths are involved, such as abortion. For example, if the health care plan includes provisions that all US taxpayers, including Catholics, should pay (via their taxes) for any woman who wants to abort her child, this is obviously morally problematic from a Catholic point of view (or from any sensible point of view, IMHO). So, in answer to your question, should the bishops control health insurance coverage for all Americans, no. That is the decision of the American people, as expressed through our representative government. Should the bishops voice their opposition to taxpayer-funded abortions, yes. That is their job.
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