Background

In 1988 the 200th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) adopted and put forward a comprehensive statement on the role of the church in advocating for the well-being and provision of services for all people. That document was called Life Abundant: Values, Choices and Health Care — The Responsibility and Role of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Selections from that document give us clear guidance in defining areas in which to work as advocates.

In the words of that document, we must:

Give effective expression to the basic values of compassion, caring love, community wholeness and well-being, and justice that we hold to be fundamental.

Assure that every person has affordable, quality health services. Access should not be limited by income, ethnicity or geography.

Acknowledge that community life requires a just order, and collective institutions of government are important to the well-being of society. Like all human creation however, institutions can act sinfully, therefore, hold government accountable for its actions and engage in the task of civil reform that promises better results.

Promote reform for the sake of justice. The church's concern for justice, broadly shared, compels us to encourage new financing and delivery systems that better meet the needs of all people.

As Presbyterian Christians, we are called to promote justice and equity, to engage in healing and to treat one another with compassion. [Read more]

Tell us about your experiences with access to health care

Rising health care costs, insurance premiums and deductibles are making health care unaffordable for many who live in the United States. 48 million people have no health insurance at all due to job status or loss or benefit reduction and this number grows with each day. We have developed a brief survey to help us understand how issues related to health care coverage are affecting the lives of the people, both adults and children, in the United States. To help us develop this understanding, we are asking you to complete a brief anonymous online survey.

We cannot reverse the trend of rising health care costs and shrinking health care coverage unless we better understand the circumstances and can communicate the urgency to our elected leaders. Your experiences are a critical part of that process.  Please be assured that this information, and any personal stories that are collected, will never be used in any way that identifies the person, congregation or community from which it came.

Thank you for your very important help.

Glossary of healthcare terms

One of the characteristics of a culture is language and the culture of healthcare is no exception.  Many times we might think we understand terms that have specific meaning in a healthcare system, but, sometimes this is confounding.

Families USA, a non-profit organization working to expand healthcare coverage, has written an excellent glossary that explains and illuminates healthcare, care related terms and “federalese” from “actuarial equivalence to SCHIP.”  They have been kind enough to share it with other organizations working toward similar goals.

If you are planning to organize and carryout any advocacy activities, the use of this glossary will expedite your work.  If you download and use the glossary, please be certain that Families USA is credited as the original source.

Healthy people — Eliminating health disparities

Over the past two decades, a movement called Healthy People (housed in the National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) focused on improving the physical health of people in the United States, has produced a wealth of information and set goals for becoming a healthier nation.

The newest plan, Healthy People 2010, acknowledges that the playing field has been historically unlevel and that large disparities in health status exist between different population groups. Principally, African Americans, Native Americans, Latinos and other smaller population groups of people of color have significantly higher health risks.

One of the two overarching goals of HP 2010 is to reduce (ideally eliminate) those disparities. As we lift up Health Awareness, renewing our commitment to working as advocates for better and more accessible health care is very important.

United States Health and Human Services has determined that there are six areas in which racial-ethnic people experience serious disparities in health care access and outcomes. The following information, including areas of disparity and the measure of that disparity, is provided by the Office of Minority Health. Major health disparities are found in the following areas.

Infant Mortality

African-American, American Indian and Puerto Rican infants have higher death rates than white infants. In 2000, the black-to-white ratio in infant mortality was 2.5 (up from 2.4 in 1998). This widening disparity between black and white infants is a trend that has persisted over the last two decades.

Cancer Screening and Management

African-American women are more than twice as likely to die of cervical cancer than are white women and are more likely to die of breast cancer than are women of any other racial or ethnic group.

Cardiovascular Disease (CVD)

Heart disease and stroke are the leading causes of death for all racial and ethnic groups in the United States. In 2000, rates of death from diseases of the heart were 29 percent higher among African-American adults than among white adults, and death rates from stroke were 40 percent higher.

Diabetes

In 2000, Native Americans and Alaska Natives were 2.6 times more likely to have diagnosed diabetes compared with non-Hispanic whites, African Americans were 2.0 times more likely, and Hispanics were 1.9 times more likely.

HIV Infection/AIDS

Although African Americans and Hispanics represented only 26 percent of the United States population in 2001, they accounted for 66 percent of adult AIDS cases and 82 percent of pediatric AIDS cases reported in the first half of that year.

Immunizations

In 2001, Latinos and African Americans aged 65 and older were less likely than non-Hispanic whites to report having received influenza and pneumococcal vaccines.

In addition to the disparities mentioned above, there are mental health disparities. The publications note that Native Americans and Alaska Natives appear to suffer disproportionately from depression and substance abuse, and that they have less access to mental health services. Racial-ethnic people are less likely to receive needed mental health services, and when they do, they often receive a poorer quality of mental health care. For some groups, language provides a tremendous barrier to care and in areas where translators are not available, the rapport and trust needed in a health care situation, as well as the care can be adversely affected.

Learn more about health disparities.
Learn how to be an effective advocate. 

Church & Society Magazine

Social Insurance: A Covenant Between a Government and Its People
May/June 2005 issue

In response to the Depression, New Deal legislation created a covenant between the United States and its people. In particular, the Social Security Act created a system of social insurance to protect worker's families against impoverishment in the event of death, disability or old age/retirement. This issue examines the question of social insurance, the New Deal as covenantal promise, Social Security as social insurance (and its impact on various constituencies) and options for achieving long-term solvency. Read the foreword by Patricia K. Gleich.

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Working for equity in and access to health care for all

Presbyterians and all Reformed Christians have an obligation to hold governments accountable for their actions and to engage in the task of health related civil reform. Medical care is only one of several determinants of health. Presbyterians are also challenged to awareness and action on issues from environmental protection, health education, agricultural safeguards, nutritional standards and individual responsibility in health and lifestyle.

Presbyterians have a long and proud history of working for social justice — of advocating on behalf of others and themselves. As a foundation for those historical stands, policies, typically in the form of resolutions, are passed by the governing body of the church, the General Assembly. Several important policy statements guiding individual Presbyterians on health related issues have been passed. Advocacy for health issues may be done individually, as an organization or group and through the public sector/government.

• Ways to Advocate
  • Advocacy as an Individual
  • Advocacy as an Organization/Group
  • Advocacy through the Public Sector/Government
• Resources to Help You Advocate
• Health Ministries Advocacy Areas

Advocacy as an Individual

As individuals, we can be advocates and examples as we are guided by our conscience, model the tenets of our Christian faith and are informed by the policies of the PC(USA). We can also use our voice and our wallet, write letters, make phone calls and make certain that our friends, family, colleagues and co-workers keep aware of health related issues.

Advocacy as an Organization/Group

Many organizations have been formed to work specifically around health, healthcare access funding, equitable distribution of health services and health service quality. Connecting with one of these groups provides the support of other group members, access to specific health care reform agendas and fact and figures surrounding health care.

These groups include the following:

Resources to Help You Advocate

Resolution on Behalf of the Uninsured: A Call to Advocacy!

This resolution offers a biblical and theological rationale in light of the current situation for church involvement advocating on behalf of uninsured persons. A framework for a congregational plan to advocate for health care access for all, as well as a copy of legislation currently before Congress are included.

Download the complete published resolution

Spread the Word about Children's Health Care Coverage

Download Spread the Word about Children's Health Care Coverage

Health Ministries Advocacy Areas

Adoption of National Standard for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Health Care Services

Adoption of National Standard for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Health Care Services document contains standards promulgated by and recommended for the implementation by the Office of Minority Health/Public Health and Human Services.

Download this report

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