ST. LOUIS, Aug. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Rev. Michael D. Place, STD, president and chief executive officer of the Catholic Health Association of the United States (CHA) issued the following statement in response to the U.S. Census Bureau’s new report on the number of uninsured and persons living in poverty.
Today’s release of national health insurance and poverty statistics indicates again that something is terribly wrong with the nation’s moral and fiscal priorities. The newly released figures for 2003 estimate that 45 million persons were without insurance during the year. This means that over the last four years, at least 6.3 million individuals have been added to the rolls of those living without health care coverage. Tragically, the number of women, men, children, and entire families without health insurance coverage continues to hover around one out of every seven Americans.
Even though the new report indicates that the total of those covered by insurance increased by more than 1 million during 2003, that is not good news when the numbers also indicate there were more people in poverty who had to receive government assistance. In 2003, 2.4 million individuals were added to the Medicaid program.
However, when we talk about those who are poor and those who are uninsured, it is very important to remember that nearly 75 percent of those who live without health care coverage are not classified by the Census Bureau as poor. Many are gainfully employed but their employers do not, or cannot, offer affordable health benefits or coverage for dependents. In fact, according to Census Bureau figures, this is the third year in a row that the increase in uninsured is primarily due to a decline in employment-based coverage. In 2003, 1.3 million more people were left to find insurance somewhere other than their employer.
It is especially troubling that the number of people living in poverty has increased to 35.9 million. We are a nation of remarkable prosperity. The Catholic health ministry is deeply concerned about the rising number of “poor,” especially children under age 18. As a nation, we must examine our priorities that allow this situation to exist and to continually worsen.
In a just and moral society, it is unconscionable that any individual go without access to quality and affordable health care. We cannot continue to calmly accept this tragedy as a national reality. The increased number of those living in poverty and the continuing rise in the population living without health care coverage are not partisan issues. These are chronic ills that have plagued our society for decades -- through both Democratic and Republican administrations and Congresses.
The Catholic health ministry believes access to quality, compassionate health care is a basic human right. We call on the country’s leaders to recognize our shared responsibility to every person in this nation. We must commit to transforming our nation’s health care system to create health care that works for all.
The St. Louis-based Catholic Health Association of the United States (CHA) is the national leadership organization of the Catholic health ministry, engaged in strategic directions of mission, ethics, and advocacy. CHA’s more than 2,000 members form the nation’s largest group of not-for-profit health care sponsors, systems, facilities, health plans, and related organizations. For more information, visit the CHA website at http://www.chausa.org/.
Catholic Health Association of the United States
CONTACT: Fred Caesar of the Catholic Health Association of the UnitedStates, +1-202-296-3993
Web site: http://www.chausa.org/
