No Sick Child Left Behind
Departing from typical conservative advocacy, the Southern Baptists' top lobbyist has joined an interfaith group calling on Congress to extend health-care coverage to every American child.
Richard Land, president of the SBC's Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, gathered with Christian, Jewish, and Muslim leaders at a March 6 press conference to address the "moral imperative" of health care for children. "Some say [health care coverage] is all well and good, but we should focus on the main thing, pro-life issues," Land said. "I say the focus on health care is pro-life. We're not just pro-life from conception to birth."
Land and the other leaders endorsed reauthorization and greater federal funding of the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). Begun in 1997, SCHIP faces little renewal opposition. However, according to People Improving Communities Through Organizing, more than $60 billion over five years will be needed to cover all of America's 9 million uninsured children. SCHIP's original budget was $24 billion over 10 years.
The push for universal health care for children comes in the wake of new legislation around the country. Massachusetts and Vermont have passed initiatives designed to cover the uninsured, and more than a dozen states are considering similar measures. Not since President Clinton's plan failed in 1994 has so much nationwide attention been given to health care reform.
"If you look at poll evidence, there is support for health care among evangelicals," said John Green, senior fellow at the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life. "It has not been one of the top priorities in the evangelical community, but there is support for those ideas."
However, some evangelical leaders criticize federal and ...
This article is currently available to CT subscribers only.
To continue reading:
or
Star Trek Into Darkness
(on articles open to the public, you must at least register for a free account).
RSS
Twitter
Facebook
Newsletters
Google
Comments
Displaying 1–3 of 4 comments
See all comments
James Lyle
US needs Universal Medicaid/Medicare. Houston Post's Donald Morris noted US Medicaid/Medicare is Worlds most efficient government payee health care system; it can be funded by extending Social Security Tax, to all incomes of all entity's that have income from property or earnings of any size.. Workers plus employers matching pay 14.4%, let all pay same; no more employer matching. The US Presidentcy must be divided into a National Security President, an Industrial Security President, and a Social Security President, each its own treasury; with IRS, Justice department, Judiciary joint appointments. US needs a True Central Bank, not Fascist gov-private Fed; JPMorgan Chase controlling stockholder uses NY Fed Reserve Branch to set US Interest Rates. Jesus era synagogues took 4.5-5% of income, churchs should not exceed. Executive branch not serve after age 45, nor congress & Judicary after 60. Jeffeson states "My philosophy is that of Old Aristotle; others should not be taught.
Rob
Has Land lost it? Is the government our new Savior? Is the governmentn to look after the needs or widows and orphans or should the church get off its pew and be the church?! Bigger government is not the answer Dr. Land and you know better than to encourage this course of action.
alan
Is our healthcare the best in the world? Not sure where this statement comes from - I have seen the healthcare systems in some other countries and wonder if that statement is true. I think we do well, and we can generally get very good healthcare, but it can also be truly appalling. Certainly one would not want to be poor, living in the inner city without healthcare coverage and contract a debilitating illness... I think though we do pretty well (not as well as we imagine) and are held ransom by pharmaceutical and medical device companies. Plus (I agree) an over zealousness to litigation... All issues that should not have to impact children, be they rich or poor