The following is an excerpt of a statement by Sr. Mary Haddad, RSM, president and chief executive officer, Catholic Health Association of the United States:
As the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit considers the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the Catholic Health Association of the United States (CHA) stands firmly with those defending the law. CHA joined with four hospital organizations earlier this year in filing a brief as amici curiae in support of the Intervenor-Defendants-Appellants in Texas v. United States.
“We believe health care is a basic human right and the effort to eliminate access to affordable health care coverage for millions of Americans is unconscionable,” stated Sr. Mary Haddad.
CHA believes that a decision by the Fifth Circuit to strike down the ACA as unconstitutional, if upheld, would reverse the progress we have made, adversely impacting the health of millions of Americans. We believe, as a matter of human dignity, everyone is entitled to health care. Like any basic element of life, health care sustains us and should always be accessible and affordable for everyone — where they need it, when they need it, no exceptions and no interruptions. CHA will continue to work with policy makers to advance the goal of ensuring everyone has access to affordable health coverage and high-quality health care.
Full story at Catholic Health Association of the United States site.
Whatever happened to ‘Repeal and Replace’??
They had there chance. For two years the only thing they repealed and replaced was the speaker of the house
Now just what kind of health care is she advocating? If it is abortion and the contraceptive pill, they contribute to certain types of cancer, besides killing the child, which I think defeats the purpose of health care. If she means saving the life of the child AND the mother, I am all for it. If she means loading children with opposite sex hormones just because they think they are the opposite sex of what they truly are, that is child abuse. From the looks of her street clothes — no sister’s habit — I think it might be the later.
I liked my doctors. But I couldn’t keep my doctors. My insurance went up $400/month last year. Fortunately, I was able to select another plan through my retirement system, (the municipality for which I worked was not part of Social Security, so I have no Medicare eligibility), but I lost the system I’d become used to and trusted for over 20 years, and lost the oncologist who treated me for breast cancer 20 years ago, and whose annual checkups were of great importance to me.
hoe quaint, a nun with earrings. Is she a Roman Catholic nun? Sad
CHA has long been on the Leftist side of the political spectrum. Strange that an organization affiliated with the church has such leanings. Why am I not surprised by this?
My limited understanding is that Nuns habits evolved from street dress of upper class women from the middle ages. So this Nuns dress is only a continuation of that tradition.
Mike M., I have heard that before, but I have never seen any evidence that it is true. All the pictures I have seen of religious women in the past, the religious wore garments similar to street wear, but were also very distinctive from the ordinary woman’s wear.
I challenge anyone to post a picture of French laywomen wearing daily the same type of headgear that the Daughter’s of Charity did in the past From all the pictures I have seen of nuns in the past, they always had distinctive clothing to show that they were dedicated to God and wear veiled.
I have seen no evidence of French noble women wearing such garments either. Neither have I seen evidence of it is other cultures.
Where secular authorities forbid the wearing of habits is another whole issue, but that is not the case here. I remember when Mother Angelica had her order return to more traditional habits when she saw all the heretical behavior going on in some more liberal orders.
No one is “entitled” to anything including health care…….
Mike, I’m not sure what you mean by “Leftist.” No Bishop has come out in support of abortion, birth control, etc.. What they have supported is good and affordable healthcare for all. I find that acceptable. The Affordable Care Act provided payment for abortions. Sad. But, other provisions provided for several good things: outlawed using preexisting conditions as a pretense for refusing insurance, free preventative care – mammograms, annual checkups, insurance coverage for kids up to 26 years old, standards of care, payment to insurance companies if they provided low rate insurance, minimum standards for insurance coverage, etc. For some reason, a group of politicians has tried for over eight years to take that away. They want to take…
The sister is correct that health care is a basic human right just as eating, breathing, and work is a basic human right. The sister is wrong in thinking that the government is required to provide this. A very sad outlook on life.
Steve, subsidiarity would impel the government to ensure a basic human right if it is not provided by a lesser entity. If we can’t breathe the air, it is up to the government to set laws that will clean it up, if we don’t have enough food to eat because we don’t have the money to buy it, it is the role of government to ensure that we don’t starve. If circumstances don’t allow us to find basic employment because there are no jobs for which we qualify, the government often provides the work; think of the WPA, etc.
Bob One,
You might have the concept of Catholic subsidiarity reversed since this concept places the federal government last. Regarding air quality, the government would be the proper entity since no one else can clean the air. In this case, it would be primarily state government with possibly some federal involvement, especially among smaller states.
Regarding social issues, the federal government is the least effective entity as demonstrated by its great wealth yet massive debt. Social issues are best handled at the level of family, church, and civic organizations. State government should typically be the safety net of last resort.