Bishop Wester urges support for state efforts to provide much-needed health care to the poor and marginalized

Friday, Feb. 27, 2015

As many of you may be aware, I publicly supported Governor Herbert’s Healthy Utah plan to provide health insurance to low-income Utahns at a recent press conference, and I continue to support the plan. I do so because I believe, based on Catholic teaching, that access to health care is imperative to protect human life and dignity.

Every Sunday we offer our prayers for the sick in our parishes. Many of us pray for infirm friends and family members at least daily. Yet many of the people we pray for will find it nearly impossible to get well unless they have adequate health insurance. The Catechism of the Catholic Church is clear, “Life and physical health are precious gifts entrusted to us by God. We must take reasonable care of them, taking into account the needs of others and the common good. Concern for the health of its citizens requires that society help in the attainment of living conditions that allow them to grow and reach maturity: food and clothing, housing, health care, basic education, employment, and social assistance.” The Catechism also explains that government must “make accessible to each what is needed to lead a truly human life. ...”

The Utah Legislature is debating whether and how to make health insurance available to low-income Utahns who do not earn enough to afford coverage but make too much to qualify for Medicaid. There are several bills being proposed, some of which would cover 10,000 to 15,000 people, others which would cover 100,000 or more. Each plan has its own merits and costs. What is critical is ensuring that the needs of the poor are prioritized, that the dignity of work is promoted, and that we protect the dignity of life. For these reasons, I choose to support the Healthy Utah plan. I also believe that this plan offers coverage to the most low-income Utahns and protects our state human services budget so other needed programs for the poor are unharmed. Something must be done to provide low-income Utahns with health insurance without discouraging people from the personal growth and fulfillment that comes from a job well done.

People of good will may disagree with my decision to support Healthy Utah. What I ask of each Catholic in Utah is not that you agree with me but that you study the issue and become involved in the process. We live in a society and we must participate in community life, including the political process. While it may make us uncomfortable at times, we are required to speak in the public square and be a voice for the poor, the marginalized, the voiceless. Tens of thousands of Utahns will be impacted by the health care debate. I urge you to seek out factual information from reliable sources, take some time to prayerfully consider the options, and contact your state legislator to encourage him or her to support your Catholic point of view.

God has no hands but ours. Our prayers matter, as do our actions in solidarity with the poor. Please continue to pray for the sick and the suffering, and urge our elected officials to vote in a manner that will protect the sanctity and dignity of life for thousands of Utahns.