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1992 Health Care
Reaffirmation of Resolution on Securing Access to Adequate Health Care
Adopted by the Annual Meeting of The Evangelical
Covenant Church, June, 1992. Presented by the ECC Christian Action
Commission.
The Commission on Christian Action, with the concurrence of the Covenant
Executive Board, recommends to the one hundred and seventh Covenant Annual
Meeting the following resolution pertinent to securing access to adequate
health care.
WHEREAS, the Ministry of the Christian Church includes healing and health
care and from its inception the Evangelical Covenant Church has sought
to provide this ministry as a primary objective; and
WHEREAS, increasingly complex and ethically difficult decisions are
being made daily which effect access to health care; and
WHEREAS, inequities still exist in the financial protection people have
against the cost of medical care, the availability of health professionals
and facilities, the use of services, and the quality of care received;
and
WHEREAS, the above inequities are related to income, place of residence,
race, ethnicity, and third-party payment; and
WHEREAS, the development of an ethical framework expressing the consensus
of society for making health-care decisions will help assure fair and
adequate public policies guiding such decisions, be it therefore
RESOLVED, that the Ninety-ninth Covenant Annual Meeting indicates support
of the following six ethical principles as set forth in the Report of
the President's Commission for the Study of Ethical Problems in Medicine
and Biomedical and Behavioral Research, published in March, 1983.
1) Society has an ethical obligation to insure equitable access to health
care for all.
2) The societal obligation is balanced by individual obligations.
3) Equitable access to health care requires that all citizens be able
to secure an adequate level of care without excessive burdens.
4) When equity occurs through the operation of private forces, there
is no need for governmental involvement, but the ultimate responsibility
for ensuring that society's obligation is met, through a combination of
public and private sector arrangements, rests with the federal government.
5) The cost of achieving equitable access to health care ought to be
shared fairly.
6) Efforts to contain rising health-care costs are important but should
not focus on limiting the attainment of equitable access for the least
well served section of the public.
And be it further
RESOLVED, that representatives of the Board of Benevolence and the Commission
on Christian Action, together with the other representation designated
by the Covenant Executive Board, study and prepare for the One Hundred
Eighth Covenant Annual Meeting a document which will express the present
mandate of the Christian Gospel upon the health-care-giving ministries
of the Covenant, its congregations, and their members.
RESOLVED, that representatives of the Board of Benevolence and the Commission
on Christian Action, together with the other representation designated
by the Covenant Executive Board, study and prepare for the One Hundred
Eighth Covenant Annual Meeting a document which will express the present
mandate of the Christian Gospel upon the health-care-giving ministries
of the Covenant, its congregations, and their members.
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