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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1996

Do the bishops have it right on health care reform?

The National Conference of Catholic Bishops has argued for significant government involvement in health care in order to assure respect for what they regard as the right to health care. Critics charge that the bishops are wrong because health care is not a right. In this article, it is argued that these critics are correct in their claim that health care is not a right. However, it is also argued that the premise that health care is not a right does not imply that the market is the most equitable and just system for providing health care. Natural law arguments in the tradition of Roman Catholic social teaching lead to the conclusion that a just and prosperous society has a moral obligation to provide health care even if there is no such right. Further, there are strong moral grounds for concluding that the bishops are correct in their claim that health care ought not to be considered a market commodity. It is argued that if health care ought not to be considered a commodity, then national health insurance is the best available alternative for fulfilling the social obligation to distribute health care resources justly and fairly at this time in American history. The bishops' case for government involvement can be made on the strength of the Catholic tradition in theological argumentation, independent of the claim that health care is a right.

Catholicism↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Bishops' response to Act on Rights of Terminally Ill.

In August 1985 the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws drafted a document entitled The Uniform Rights of the Terminally Ill Act, which it recommended for enactment by all U.S. states. The act attempts to set uniform, clear guidelines for advance directives, or living wills--written declarations made by a patient that are used to guide treatment decisions should the patient become incompetent and terminally ill. The act limits the scope of an advance directive to the withdrawal or withholding of "life-sustaining treatment," which is "any medical procedure or intervention that when administered to a qualified patient will serve only to prolong the process of dying." Qualified patients are those with a terminal condition, which is "an incurable or irreversible condition that without the administration of life-sustaining treatment will, in the opinion of the attending physician, result in death within a relatively short time." The National Conference of Catholic Bishops (NCCB) Committee for Pro-Life Activities responded to the act in July 1986. The NCCB wishes to narrow the act's scope to apply only to patients in the "final stage of a terminal condition." Other specific concerns are the withdrawal of artificial nutrition and hydration, the need for communication with the family in making decisions, and the protection of an unborn child's life when the mother fulfills the conditions of the act and her living will stipulates a desire for withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Catholicism↗
PubMed1995

A memo from the central office: the "Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services".

In 1994, the National Conference of Catholic Bishops revised the "Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services." A goal of the Directives is to maintain the moral integrity of Catholic health care institutions and to address controversies in bioethics and health care. The Directives represent a shift to an exclusively principle-based approach to moral reason. This shift threatens to undermine the very tradition that the bishops seek to protect.

Bioethical Issues↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Removing life support: motivations, obligations. An opinion on NCCB Committee for Pro-Life Activities' statement on artificial hydration and nutrition.

In April 1992 the Committee for Pro-Life Activities of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a resource paper titled "Nutrition and Hydration: Moral and Pastoral Reflections." At best, this document and its conclusions may be viewed as a pastoral statement, offering some tentative reasoning and conclusions to be considered in cases that concern the use of medically assisted nutrition and hydration. When discussing the question, is the withholding or withdrawing of medically assisted hydration and nutrition always direct killing? the document applies two principles--"no reasonable hope of benefit" and "involving excessive burdens." The document's crucial part is its admission that artificial hydration and nutrition may be removed without the intention of causing death, and that "this kind of decision should not be equated with a decision to kill or with suicide." The committee assigns decision-making responsibility to patients, families, and healthcare professionals, but continues its discussion for 20 pages and offers cautions conclusions concerning removal of such therapy. Two assumptions seem to underlie the document's overly cautious conclusions, the first being that mere vegetative function mandates continued life support. The first assumption overemphasizes the value of physiological functioning insofar as the purpose of human life is concerned. It also is contrary to the goal of medicine, which envisions restoration of cognitive-affective function as an element of successful therapy. The second assumption is that withdrawal of artificial hydration and nutrition from persons in PVS may lead to euthanasia. But mandating the continuation of nonbeneficial therapy simply because it prolongs physiological function seems to lead people to favor euthanasia rather than reject it.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Catholicism↗
PubMed1994

Health care reformers hear from pro-choice colleagues, Catholic bishops.

On July 13, more than 6 dozen House members signed their names to a letter sent to Speaker Thomas Foley (D-WA) indicating that they would not support a health care reform measure if it did not include abortion coverage. Drafted by Representatives Patricia Schroeder (D-CO) and Peter DeFazio (D-OR), the letter stated that "...any health care reform package that comes before the House must contain coverage for contraceptive and abortion services if it is to gain our support." Speaking at a news conference releasing the letter, Representative Don Edwards (D-CA) said, "I resent that certain religious groups are entering this political fight in Congress." Rep. Edwards was referring to a National Conference of Catholic Bishops (NCCB) campaign to oppose "any health care bill that requires coverage of abortion" announced on the same day. The NCCB represents the top leaders in the nation's Roman Catholic church, which has 25,000 parishes across the country. In a letter sent to 30 Congressional leaders, the NCCB reaffirmed its support for universal coverage in a national health plan, but only if abortion is not included. Although not well publicized, an additional component of the NCCB campaign is the push to have Congress allow employers to opt out of coverage for contraception. The Bishops claim to have garnered 5 million cards from people who say they have told their lawmakers of their opposition to any coverage for abortion. The NCCB strategy calls for further grassroots action--including lobbying legislators, a telegram-writing campaign, and town meetings--and a national advertising campaign. In Cleveland, Ohio, the Catholic Diocese's Pro-Life Office announced on July 14 that it would start urging pastors and parishioners to speak out against abortion coverage.

Abortion, Induced↗
PubMed2001

Catholic hospitals and Catholic identity.

Catholic hospitals seek to offer health care in accord with the example of Christ. They have several models to assist in this effort. The first model is the values portrayed in the Gospels. The Catholic Church has sought to embody these Gospel values in specific teachings. These teachings have been further specified for hospitals in the United States by the National Conference of Catholic Bishops in the Ethical and Religious Directives. Finally, the Gospels values are also expressed for individual Catholic health care systems in mission statements and statements of Catholic identity. This article examines the worth of mission and identity statements, and explains that the statements must be put into practice through a process of internalization before they will be able to be of worth to the Catholic health care apostolate.

Catholicism↗
PubMed1979

Catholic health care institutions and social justice.

What implications for the health care apostolate lie in the programs and plans of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops and the United States Catholic Conference? This question is explored through looking at the relationship of the health care ministry to NCCB and USCC priorities--social justice, family life, parish renewal, and evangelization.

Catholicism↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Bridging refugee youth and children's services: a case study of cross-service training.

Bridging Refugee Youth and Children's Services(BRYCS), a public-private partnership between the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, provides national technical assistance to public child welfare. After a series of "community conversations," BRYCS identified a lack of knowledge among child welfare staff about newcomer refugees, negative stereotypes, and a fear of child protective services among refugees. BRYCS initiated a number of technical assistance initiatives, including a pilot cross-service training project in St. Louis to strengthen collaboration between child welfare and refugee-serving agencies. This article details the lessons learned from this training and recommends changes in policy and practice.

Adolescent↗