Healthcare is a Basic Human Right!

The United Methodist Church believes “it is a governmental responsibility to provide all citizens with health care.” As the leaders of the Methodist Federation for Social Action and Reconciling Ministries Network we call on the United Methodist members of the senate to be relentless in their support of a comprehensive health care act in line with the United Methodist Social Principles. “The Social Principles are a call to all members of The United Methodist Church to a prayerful, studied dialogue of faith and practice.”

Our Social Principles remind us that “providing the care needed to maintain health, prevent disease, and restore health after injury or illness is a responsibility each person owes others and government owes to all, a responsibility government ignores at its peril.”

In Ezekiel 34:4a, God points out the failures of the leadership of Israel to care for the weak: “You don’t strengthen the weak, heal the sick, bind up the injured, bring back the strays, or seek out the lost.” As a result all suffer.

We believe “like police and fire protection, health care is best funded through the government’s ability to tax each person equitably and directly fund the provider entities.”  

We believe all people should have access to comprehensive reproductive health/family planning information and services.

We believe comprehensive health care includes care for persons with disabilities and pre-existing conditions.

We believe allowing annual or lifetime caps on expenditures, block grants or per capita caps on Medicaid would endanger the health and wellbeing of children, older adults, people with disabilities, and their families. Preserving the funding for Medicaid expansion and expanding the program in all states is essential for providing the care

We believe policies to improve affordability must prioritize those with the greatest need, not those with the means to put money in a health savings account or wait for tax deductions.

The same access to health care should be afforded to all persons in our communities. It is unjust and immoral to construct or perpetuate barriers to physical or mental wholeness or full participation in community.