Building a Healthy Community

1
Building a Healthy Community

• Faith Principles Leading to Comprehensive and
  Affordable Healthcare for All the People of
  Arizona

2
What do we believe about community?

• What are the faith principles that build our
  common life together?

3
Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind,
soul, and strength. (Mark 1230)

• Love of God is the first and greatest
  commandment.
• We believe that God created all things including
  the whole of who we are, emotionally,
  intellectually, spiritually, and physically.

4
The second is like it. Love your neighbor as
yourself.

• We also believe in the dignity of every human
  being.
• We were all created in Gods image (Genesis
  127)?
• and we are commanded to love the neighbor(Luke
  1027).

5
Love of God and love of
neighbor lead us to care about everyones
well-being in the

• Heart (Emotional)?
• Soul (Spiritual)?
• Mind (Mental)?
• Strength (Physical)?
• Its a concern we express for each other.

6
Love, after all, is a relational word.

• It is not about me, but about US.
• Thats Community!

7
Another faith principle is to
serve the common good, good for everyone.

• Jeremiah says pray for the welfare of the city,
  Babylon (Jeremiah 297), because in it you will
  find your welfare.
• St. Paul speaks about our civic responsibility
  and says love does no wrong to the neighbor
  (Romans 138-10)

8
The common good is for everyone, and includes
the vulnerable.

• Elderly
• Children
• Mentally Ill
• Poor
• Homeless
• All those who are not able to care for themselves

9
This is what the scripture says

• Is not this the fast that I choose to loose the
  bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the
  yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break
  every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with
  the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your
  house when you see the naked, to cover them, and
  not to hide yourself from your own kin. Isaiah
  586-7

10
This is what Jesus said

• Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of
  the least of these who are members of my family
  you did it to me.
• Matthew 2540?

11
The United Methodist Church says it this way

• Through the examples and command of Jesus Christ,
  the church receives the task of ministering to
  the sick, relieving what suffering can be
  relieved and undertaking to share and to lighten
  that which cannot be eliminated. . . .
• The duty to care for the sick also calls upon us
  to work to reform the structures and institutions
  by which health care is delivered when they fail
  to provide the comprehensive physical, social,
  emotional, and spiritual care needed by those
  facing grave illness and death.
• The Book of Resolutions of the United Methodist
  Church--2004

12
What happens when we get sick?

• We pray for healing and ask others to pray for
  us.
• We also seek the gifts of science and the healing
  profession.

13
We pray because we believe in Gods healing power.

• Moses prays for Miriam (Numbers 1213)?
• Elijah prays for the widows son (1 Kings
  1717-24)?
• The psalmist prays for every healing (Psalm
  1033)?
• Jeremiah prays for himself (Jeremiah 1714)?

14
People came to Jesus for healing.

• The sick from villages Matthew 1436
• Epileptic child
• Mark 925-29
• Peters mother-in-law Luke 438-39
• Man born blind
• John 91-7

15
And because Jesus healed, the Disciples healed.

• Peter at the Pool of Siloam Acts 31-7
• One of the Spirits gifts was the gift of healing
  I Corinthians 1228
• The early church became known for its compassion
  toward those who were struck with serious illness
  that other people avoided.

16
We go to doctors because Gods healing power also
comes from those who are trained medical
professionals.

• And we give thanks for the caring dedication and
  innovative research that they bring to all of our
  lives.

17
Healing and wholeness are important for God and
for Gods people.

• Therefore, we want to build a comprehensive
  healthcare system in our community, state, and
  country.

18
So whats the problem right now?

• Why do we need health care reform?

19
If we need a doctor or a medicine, do you know
what it actually costs?

• Routine doctors office visit
• ER visit for a heart attack
• Dialysis
• Diabetes care
• Tonsillectomy
• Broken arm
• Insertion of a defibrillator

20
Most of us cannot afford to pay what it actually
costs.

• Therefore, many of us have health insurance
  either through an employer, public program, or
  private pay.

21
But this is whats happening to medical insurance

• Private sector coverage is declining. From
  2000-2004, Arizona experienced a 7.3 drop in
  employer insurance.
• Only 47 of Arizonas private sector employers
  offer health coverage to their employees.
• Only 39 of Arizonas small employers offer
  coverage.

22
Health Insurance Coverage of Total Arizona
Population, 2004-2005
23
Other Health Insurance Concerns

• Health care costs are increasing far more rapidly
  than inflation or cost of living increases.
• If you are sick or have a chronic health
  condition, coverage may be unavailable, limited,
  or very expensive.
• Insurance plans often do not provide (or limit)
  benefits for mental, dental, or vision care.

• If you work for a small or large employer, public
  or private rates have increased dramatically each
  year, and coverage has decreased.
• Some emergency rooms are closing because they
  cannot bear the cost of providing mandated care
  without compensation.

24
And then theres this1 in 5 Arizonans do not
have healthcare coverage at all.

• That translates into about 1.2 million people who
  do not have regular access to medical providers.

25
Fortunately, there are
government- sponsored insurance programs for
certain groups of people.

• Federal and State
• programs provide
• insurance to cover certain eligible groups
• --Elderly
• --Poor
• --Children?

• Yet, some children, families, or others do not
  know that they can get help through AHCCCS
  (Arizona health Care Cost Containment System) or
  the application process is too difficult.

26
What happens when people dont or cant get
coverage?

• Gamble they wont get sick, adding to costs in
  the long run
• Delay careuntil it is more costly and less
  effective
• Use emergency services
• Bear enormous financial burdens or file
  bankruptcy
• Become homeless (1 cause)
• Get care, but leave bills unpaidpassing costs on
  to us
• Do without

27
Who is affected?

• People who have changed or lost a job
• Small business owners and their employees
• Church employees
• Young adults no longer covered by parents policy
  
• People who stopped work before age 65

• People who make too much and too little, a gap
  group
• People with chronic or pre-existing health
  conditions
• People who have health coverage, who then pay the
  added cost for the uninsured.
• In other words the whole community!
• We are all affected.

28
What about Arizonas children?
29
Today, too many Arizona kids are uninsured.

• 250,000 children in Arizona lack health coverage
  Thats 3,500 bus loads of kids!
• Arizona has the highest rate of uninsured
  children in U.S. who receive no health care
  during the year.
• Most kids qualify for EXISTING public programs -
  but many families dont know help is available.

30
And with children we see how Healthcare is a
systemic issue. Take hunger, for example.

• Children who live in food insecure households
  (not necessarily categorized as hungry, but not
  eating regularly)
• Are sick more frequently
• Miss school more often
• Do more poorly in school
• Are more susceptible to cognitive impairment
• More likely to engage in anti-social behaviors
• More in need of both medical and mental health
  interventions.

1. Center on Hunger and Poverty, 2002 Prepared
by WHEAT, the World Hunger Education, Advocacy
Training organization
31
Chronic hunger leads to increased medical care--

• And that is estimated to be 1.9 Billion!

32
Can our community afford coverage for all?What
is per capita cost in the rest of the world?

33
This is a complex issue, with many players, many
stakeholders, and no easy solutions.

• So, is there something we can do?

34
10 Recommendations from Arizonas Town Hall,
April 2007

• 1. Expand Health Care Coverage
• 2. Reduce Shortages of Health Care Professionals
• 3. Make Behavioral Health Care a Priority
• 4. Expand the Use of Health Information
  Technology
• 5. Plan for the Future

• 6. Practice Evidence-Based Medicine
• 7. Encourage Personal Knowledge and
  Accountability
• 8. Measure and Report on Quality
• 9. Restructure Public health Funding
• 10. Provide Primary Care to Undocumented
  Immigrants

35
What can People of Faith do?

• Work at healthy living
• Avoid health-risky behavior
• Be proactive in your healthcare
• See your doctor
• Eat sensibly and exercise

36
What can People of Faith do?

• Encourage health ministries in your church
• Schedule a caregiver training (from Hospice of
  the Valley or Foundation for Senior Living)?
• Parish Nurse program for your church or a shared
  program between neighboring churches

37
What can People of Faith do?

• Help others to apply for coverage
• Volunteer to sign children up for KidsCare
  (through After School programs, Pre-School, or
  when you make angel tree deliveries at
  Christmas)?
• Assist others fill out forms and make the
  necessary phone calls

38
What can People of Faith do?

• Share your story, or the story of someone you
  know. Put a human face to healthcare issues.
• Help others understand how difficult it is to get
  adequate healthcare

39
What can People of Faith do?

• Advocate for comprehensive and affordable
  healthcare for all Arizonans
• Support initiatives
• Contact your legislators and congressional
  representatives (www.azleg.gov)?
• Organize an advocacy workshop at your church and
  make a plan
• Vote for people who want to do something about
  healthcare.

40
Together we can create a healthy community. We
can do it!

• We can find ways to bring affordable and
  comprehensive healthcare to all of Arizona.
• And people of faith should be leaders in bringing
  such life-giving principles to our communities.
• We can build it today!

41
Building a Healthy Community

• Questions?
• Presenter
• -Rev. Jan Olav Flaaten, Arizona Ecumenical
  Council