wfn.org | ELCA Assembly Hearing Discusses Health Care Proposal

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ELCA NEWS SERVICE

August 25, 1999

ELCA ASSEMBLY HEARING DISCUSSES HEALTH-CARE PROPOSAL
99-CWA-23-DM

     DENVER (ELCA) -- Dozens of issues and ideas were raised by more
than 40 speakers during two hearings Aug. 17 on a proposal that the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) prepare a social statement
on health care.
     While participants voiced differences of opinion, no one suggested
the ELCA Churchwide Assembly should turn down the proposal.
     The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of the
ELCA, is meeting here Aug. 16-22 at the Colorado Convention Center.
There are more than 2,500 people participating, including 1,039 ELCA
voting members. The theme for the biennial assembly is "Making Christ
Known: Hope for a New Century."
     Last year, the board of the ELCA Division for Church in Society
recommended development of a social statement on health and ethical
issues in health care for presentation to the 2003 Churchwide Assembly.
This year's assembly must authorize the preparation of a statement.
     The back-to-back hearings drew about 150 participants. Many of
those who spoke identified themselves as physicians, nurses, health-care
administrators or board members from agencies and facilities involved
with health care.
     "We have done a great deal on Jesus' preaching and teaching, but
where have we been on Jesus' healing?" asked Karen White, a diaconal
minister from Columbus, Ohio, whose specialty is health ministry.
     Many of those who spoke raised the issues of health care costs,
managed care, alleged insurance-industry fraud and the more than 40
million Americans who have no health care insurance at all.
     The Rev. Joanna Norris Grimshaw of Great Bend, Kan., said "health
care for profit" seems "almost sinful."
     Jeff Burrell, a voting member from the ELCA Minneapolis Area Synod
who works for a medical technology company, disagreed. He said that
developing new treatments and technology is very expensive and required
the backing of investors who expect a return on their investments.
     A number of speakers urged advocacy with the federal government,
which was criticized for cutting health care spending while increasing
regulations. For others, issues included the poor access to health care
experienced by those in rural areas or in the inner cities and by those
suffering from mental illness.
     Joanne Negstad, president and CEO of Lutheran Services in America
(LSA) -- a joint endeavor of the ELCA, The Lutheran Church -- Missouri
Synod and their related social service agencies, spoke at both hearings.
She said LSA-related agencies spent $3.2 billion on health care last
year, half of it for the elderly.
     "We are in health care as a church," she said, adding that
Medicare and health-care reform are top issues for LSA agencies.
     "This is such a broad topic, but I believe that if we can promote
health rather than only treat disease, we can make an impact,' said
Barbara Marte, a nurse and voting member from the ELCA Southwestern
Pennsylvania Synod. She urged working with the Missouri Synod, the
country's second-largest Lutheran body, to educate Lutherans and others
on better health practices and disease prevention.
     The Rev. Ronald W. Duty, assistant director for studies, ELCA
Division for Church in Society, told those at the hearings that if
development of a social statement is approved, it will seek to offer a
biblical, Lutheran vision of health and health care. The intention is
for it to address three "complex and substantive concerns:"
     * issues of access and equity in health care;
     * the mission and ministry of the ELCA's own institutions that
provide health care; and
     * the role of health ministries in ELCA's congregations.
     The Rev. Mario Miranda, a member of the ELCA Church Council,
Bayamon, Puerto Rico, and a physician, was moderator for the hearing. He
commented that the task force that will develop the social statement, if
it is authorized by the churchwide assembly, will have "a lot of
concerns to address by 2003."

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html