The debate continues on whether or not healthcare is a right for everyone or only for the privileged. Often people ask if healthcare is an act of charity or a luxury. No matter which side you take on this issue, we should all agree that everyone should be taken care of, especially in times of sickness. Healthcare can be expensive and finding the right affordable resource for you and your family is vital. Here are a few reasons why affordable healthcare should be available to all families, no matter what their faith is.
Even if you and your family are living on Medicaid, there are certain procedures that aren’t covered. Dental work coverage, for example, can vary from state to state and therefore depends on where you live. Dental restoration services such as dentures and crowns are paid for in only 26 states, including California, Iowa, and Nebraska.
Medicaid reimbursements can take a long time, “anywhere from 37 to 155 days,” and patients can even be turned away by doctors if their needs are seen as unnecessary. The Trump administration is working to bring a “market-based” healthcare plan to the nation, but this Obamacare replacement is damaging to poor families and threatens those living on Medicaid.
Those coming from low-income communities would be negatively affected by this plan because of its sizable cuts to Medicaid and tax eliminations for the rich. Pope Francis said “Health is not a consumer good but a universal right, so access to health services cannot be a privilege.” The Trump administration needs to see that healthcare isn’t just for the wealthy; it’s for everyone.
Unfortunately, sometimes people need to travel in order to receive life-saving procedures or emergency surgeries. This can be incredibly stressful and costly for those involved and health insurance is essential for this dire situation. If you’re preparing to travel for medical treatment, it’s important to make sure you cover your bases and ensure that everything is in order before you leave. Having the right papers in order and making the appropriate arrangements can alleviate some of the worry that comes with this situation.
This form of travelling is typically called “medical tourism” and is a growing trend throughout the U.S. Many insurance companies are beginning to expand their coverage of it and millions of Americans are now flying overseas to find cheaper healthcare options. However, several of those desperately needing emergency surgeries are denied coverage and left with high costs and even more stress piled onto an already troubling time. It’s important we understand the necessity of these procedures and provide those struggling with appropriate healthcare options.
We must take Jesus’ words seriously and “heal the sick (Matthew, 10:8),” no matter what their financial status may be. In Matthew 9:12, Jesus said that “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.” Caring for the sick is our duty as Christians and we should be there for those in need, just as Jesus wants us to.
If you’re operating a small local business, you may not be able to provide your employees with healthcare options. Universal healthcare would allow for smaller companies to give all of their workers access to healthcare. According to a survey by Glassdoor, healthcare is the most satisfying benefit to employees. Why can’t all companies provide workers with this benefit? All employees deserve to be cared for and helped when they get sick and they would be a lot happier with this benefit too.
Many organizations around the world are fighting to make healthcare more about saving and improving lives and less about making money. For example, Arizona State University’s Health Entrepreneurship Accelerator Lab is providing students and faculty with a space to “launch and support new healthcare initiatives.” International organizations such as the Helix Centre in the U.K. are developing innovative new ways in “medical professional and patient collaboration.”
There are several medical nonprofits and community health centers out there who are teaming up with churches to bring health services to faith-based communities. Christian Healthcare Ministries is a faith-based nonprofit organization where members come together to pool their funds for one another’s medical needs and its membership has grown by 60 percent in recent years. Medi-Share by the Christian Care Ministry takes a similar approach, in which members share each other’s medical expenses. These organizations are helping their neighbors and providing for those in need, which we all should be doing.
With so many public institutions here in America such as our schools, parks, and roads, why can’t healthcare be public too? The hostility toward this idea is bewildering. To keep our citizens safe from disease and our families happy and healthy, we need to consider supporting equal access to healthcare and call our local representatives to demand action.
As Galatians 5:14 says, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” We should be providing our neighbors with the healthcare they need to survive and live a fruitful life, no matter what their income is or where they come from.
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