The Catholic Social Teaching “Rights and Responsibilities” speaks to the importance of protecting human dignity. According to the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, this Catholic tradition teaches that “human dignity can be protected and a healthy community can be achieved only if human rights are protected and responsibilities are met.” It is imperative that the American Healthcare System takes on the responsibility of protecting human dignity and that all decisions made should be with this in mind. While there are many facets in which our current healthcare system does strive to preserve and uphold this Catholic tradition, there are large disparities between the treatment one might receive based on their gender, socioeconomic status, race, and where they live.
How the current American Healthcare System upholds the “Rights and Responsibilities” CST
In a meeting with members, volunteers, doctors, and supporters of “Doctors with Africa”, a medical mission created by the Diocese of Padua, Italy, Pope Francis made it very clear- “Health is not a consumer good but a universal right, so access to health services cannot be a privilege” (America magazine Jesuit Review). It is imperative that all members of our human family have access to healthcare in order to uphold human rights, and there are significant ways in which our healthcare system protects this right. For example, while Medicare and Medicaid are not perfect, these programs do a great deal in terms of providing safety nets for the vulnerable members of our community, including the poor, elderly, and disabled. Again, in what is a large point of contention for many, some have argued that the competitive nature of the American “private sector system” (catholiceducation.org) encourages innovation and development in a positive way, as doctors are esteemed and provided great incentives to provide quality medical care. The Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act of 2010, or “Obamacare” “accelerated bureaucratic appropriation of health care in the United States”, expanding access to healthcare for millions of uninsured Americans, creating cost ceilings, and improving quality of care for those unable to afford care in the private sector. However, much was left unimproved- “many Americans have no better insurance coverage” and “immigrants lack access to basic health care” (Catholic social teaching: Precepts for healthcare reform). It is clear that if you are able to afford quality healthcare in America, you are in the clear. However, for the vast majority of citizens, this is not an option. Thus, in order to take on the responsibilities associated with protecting human rights, there must be a call to action for us as a society to protect the most vulnerable through a reformation of our current healthcare system.
Where we are failing
Dr. James Gingerich, in a visit to our seminar, spoke to a crucial notion regarding our current healthcare system- “in America, we do not have a healthcare system. We have a medical industry”. This “medical industry” looks at patients not as people, but as ways to extract money. The current healthcare system seeks to collect as much money as it can from its patients, which is in direct contradiction to “rights and responsibilities”, which makes it clear that there is a responsibility that every decision made within the system must be made with human dignity at the forefront. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, in their 2015 publication of Forming consciences for faithful citizenship, writes “the nation's healthcare system needs to be rooted in values that respect human dignity, protect human life, respect the principle of subsidiarity, and meet the needs of the poor and uninsured”. We cannot be passive concerning healthcare reform and policy in our country. A right to healthcare must exist in a companion to the fundamental “right to life” as expressed in the Catholic Social Teachings. Evidence of disparities in healthcare as a result of race or socioeconomic status is seen consistently throughout America. Additionally, the cost of healthcare in America continues to rise exponentially. There exists in our country a crucial call to action in which access to quality healthcare in our country be expanded to all members of our human family to protect and uphold human rights.
In Conclusion
Physician Donald P. Condit, in his discussion of healthcare reform with respect to Catholic Social Teachings, writes “health care in the United States today is an incomprehensible paradox. World-renowned excellence of care and dedication by physicians, nurses, and other providers juxtaposes inaccessibility to this care for so many Americans”. One thing is clear- we have a dire responsibility to address the disparities in our healthcare system as to protect the fundamental rights of all people.
Works cited Catholic Social Teaching. (2017, April 24). Retrieved October 15, 2020, from https://ccsww.org/about-us/catholic-social-teaching/ Condit, D. (2016, November). Catholic social teaching: Precepts for healthcare reform. Retrieved October 15, 2020, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5375599/ Naumann, A. (n.d.). Principles of Catholic Social Teaching and Health Care Reform. Retrieved October 15, 2020, from https://www.catholiceducation.org/en/religion-and-philosophy/social-justice/principles-of-catholic-social-teaching-and-health-care-reform.html