Beth Dahlman is the Online Organizer at Faith in Public Life. This post originally appeared on Bold Faith Type and is republished with permission.
The February 25 bipartisan health care summit
with President Obama and Members of Congress will put reform back on
the agenda after its relegation to the back burner several weeks ago. A
couple of recent stories are poignant reminders of the urgent need for
these leaders to act in good faith to pass reform legislation as soon
as possible. A study released yesterday found that the nation’s 5
largest insurers saw their profits surge
by a combined 56 percent in 2009 as they shed 2.7 million policy
holders, and Anthem Blue Cross announced last week that it was increasing premiums by up to 39 percent in California.
These eye-popping numbers underscore a reality that faith leaders
have been bringing to Congress’s attention throughout the lengthy
reform debate: a health care system that leaves millions of Americans
uninsured and costs too much for millions more is inconsistent with our
values and must be reformed. Simply put, our current system encourages
powerful corporations to harm vulnerable people — insured and
uninsured alike. It’s just not right.
The Feb. 25 Health Care Summit needs to explore how to address these
injustices and deliver quality, affordable choice for millions of
American families. Faith leaders and advocates in congregations across
the country will keep a close eye on the event, evaluate it in terms of
how much closer it brings us to the goal of passing reform, and tell
their elected representatives to keep moving forward.