Health care and religious people

For the last 25 years of his life my father received his health care through Medicare, the federal health care program that was put in place in 1965.

He received excellent health care by doctors of his own choosing and in facilities of his own choosing. For the past 20 years I have received my health care through the same Medicare system.

A premium is deducted from my monthly Social Security payment to help pay the cost of the Medicare program. In addition, I have purchased supplemental health care coverage from a private insurance company. My private insurance carrier covers nearly all the costs of my health care that is not covered by Medicare.

In addition, I am the beneficiary of the Medicare Prescription Drug program, for which I pay a monthly premium through a deduction from my monthly Social Security benefit.

This is a program that was adopted during the administration of President George W. Bush.

Under these programs, I have chosen my doctor and I have chosen all of the health care providers that I have needed. I purchase my medications from a pharmacy of my own choosing.

I have absolutely no complaint about the operation of the system. I look forward to living my remaining years without worry or fear about the availability of health care services. My wife has the same health care security through the same programs.

From the perspective of a consumer, I cannot imagine a program of the magnitude of Medicare being more efficient. At the present time the federal government of the United States is underwriting about 40 percent of all health care. Payment is made directly to providers.

My greatest and deepest commitment is to my God. I call Jesus, the peasant prophet from Nazareth, Lord and Savior. I worship every Sunday with like-minded believers. I read the Bible to find life’s highest meanings and moral directives. Christian is my life’s most important identification. I cannot escape the two greatest moral directives found in the Bible. I am my brother’s/sister’s keeper. I am to love my neighbor as though he/she were a member of my own household. These are the moral imperatives that I bring to the present public debate.

I cannot divorce my faith from the health care debate. On Thanksgiving, I verbalize my thanks for Social Security, Medicare and Medicare Prescription Drug benefits. Before I die, I would like to give thanks for health care provisions for all American that are as good as those I enjoy.

I really do not care what the particulars of health care provisions might be. Simply make sure every American, including illegal immigrants, has the same quality health care that I enjoy. Single payer system? I really do not care. I want quality health care for everyone. A government option? I do not care. Get health care to everyone.

The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a bill that attempts to provide health care for the whole nation. The U.S. Senate is now debating its own version of health care legislation. I follow the debates of both the House and the Senate. I watch some television and read a daily paper and weekly news magazines.

My word to our legislators is simple. Get health care to everyone.

Over the years, American citizens have decided that we have collective responsibilities. There is a long list of things we have decided that we best do together. Consider this partial list. Roads, airports, air traffic control, public schools, universities, libraries, police, the military, Social Security, fire departments, national parks. It is difficult to imagine our life together without these joint efforts. The challenge we now face is simple. Will we add one more item to the list of things that we recognize we ought to do together for the benefit of all?

The naysayers cry “but we cannot afford it!” My response is that it is not a question of money, but a question of values. The discussion goes back to our attitude toward our brothers, sisters and neighbors.

When I hear the “but we cannot afford it” line, I am reminded of the scene from the old “Boys Town” movie in which Spencer Tracy played the role of Father Flanagan. A young teenager walks into Boys Town carrying a small child on his back. Father Flanagan asks if the little guy is heavy. The response was profound. “Nah, he ain’t heavy; he’s my brother.”

This past month I visited my personal physician. She checked out aches in my knees and lower back. I am developing a little arthritis.

I will be taking an over-the-counter supplement and an occasional pain reliever. Blood pressure was fine. Prostate was normal. A new blood work-up showed things were normal. She did not have this season’s flu vaccine. I had to get that at my pharmacy. The H1N1 vaccine is not yet available, but I will get that shot when it is available. I visited my pharmacy and renewed a medication prescription. Other than the prescription, there was no out-of-pocket cost to me for these services.

The same treatment that I enjoy, I want for everyone.

The Rev. Howard Bess is a retired American Baptist minister, who lives in Palmer. His e-mail address is hdbss@mtaonline.net.