One key Church document supporting the principle of ensuring affordable and accessible healthcare for all citizens is the U.S. Bishops’ 2003 pastoral letter, “Health Care and the Common Good.”
This document specifically highlights the moral imperative of ensuring healthcare access for everyone, stating that “health care is an essential safeguard of human life and a fundamental human right.” It further argues that society has a moral obligation to ensure that all people have access to adequate healthcare, regardless of their ability to pay.
The bishops’ letter also advocates for policies aimed at making healthcare more affordable and accessible, including expanding health insurance coverage, controlling healthcare costs, and investing in preventive care.
Beyond the 2003 pastoral letter, several other Church documents support the concept of affordable and accessible healthcare:
- Catechism of the Catholic Church: The Catechism teaches that society has a moral obligation to care for the sick and vulnerable, and that access to healthcare is an essential part of this responsibility. It emphasizes the importance of solidarity and the common good, stating that “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” (CCC 2211).
- Pope Francis’ Encyclical “Fratelli Tutti” (2020): This encyclical emphasizes the importance of social friendship and solidarity, advocating for a society where everyone has access to basic necessities, including healthcare. Pope Francis criticizes systems that prioritize profit over people and calls for a more just and equitable distribution of resources.
- U.S. Bishops’ 2018 Pastoral Letter on Racism, “Open Wide Our Hearts”: This letter connects the issue of healthcare access to racial justice, highlighting the disproportionate impact of healthcare disparities on marginalized communities. The bishops call for policies that address these inequities and ensure that all people have access to quality healthcare.
- “Economic Justice for All: A Pastoral Letter on Catholic Social Teaching and the U.S. Economy” (1986): This pastoral letter emphasizes the importance of ensuring basic necessities for all people, including healthcare. It argues that access to healthcare is a fundamental human right and that society has a moral obligation to provide for those who cannot afford it.
These documents, along with many others, demonstrate the Catholic Church’s consistent support for affordable and accessible healthcare for all citizens. The Church views healthcare as a fundamental human right and a key component of building a just and compassionate society.