GETTING TO THE HEART OF HEALTH CARE

CHURCH & SOCIETY HEALTH & WHOLENESS

“Health Care is a basic human right.” United Methodist Social Principles, ¶162V

United Methodists envision a society where each person is afforded health, wholeness and human dignity.

Access for All

God’s vision for abundance creates conditions that allow all people to thrive and live out the fullness of their days. The United Methodist Church calls upon “…Hospitals, physicians, and medical clinics to provide access to primary health care to all people regardless of their health-coverage or ability to pay for treatment.” United Methodist Social Principles, ¶162V When people—especially women, people with disabilities, communities of color, and those who live in small towns and rural communities—don’t have access to quality health care, we see higher rates of: Infant mortality Preventable Deaths Diabetes Cervical Cancer Tuberculosis Heart Disease

Quality Care

Jesus’ commitment to healing the sick and John Wesley’s vision for ensuring health and well-being teach us that the health of the community must not be neglected. “Providing the care needed to maintain health, prevent disease, and restore health after injury or illness is a responsibility each person owes others and government owes to all...” United Methodist Social Principles, ¶ 162V United Methodists call for care that maintains health, prevents disease, and restores health after injury and illness by including: STD testing and counseling Immunizations Mammograms Pre-natal care Nutrition counseling Mental health care Domestic violence screenings Birth control Addiction rehabilitation and recovery services Annual physicals for men, women and children

Stewardship of Resources

United Methodists call for health care based on a system that values human beings first and does not treat health as a commodity. “Like police and fire protection, health care is best funded through the government’s ability to tax each person equitably and directly fund the provider entities.” United Methodist Social Principles, ¶162 V

Tennessee

If Congress repeals the Affordable Care Act and does not replace it, more than half a million Tennesseeans would lose thier health insurance. Additionally, nearly 24,000 jobs in Tennessee would be lost.

Sources: Linda Blumberg, Matthew Buettgens, and John Holahan, Implications of Partial Repeal of the ACA through Reconciliation, Urban Institute, 2016. Josh Bivens, Repealing the Affordable Health Care Act would cost jobs in every state, Economic Policy Institute, 2017.

General Board of Church and Society Tennessee Grassroots Organizer Rev. Merrilee Wineinger [email protected]

100 Maryland Ave, NE Washington, DC 20002 © 2017 General Board of Church and Society of The United Methodist Church Rev. Cynthia Abrams, [email protected]