Health Care Reform
The Maine Council of Churches is an Endorser of the Health Care for Maine Alliance. The Alliance is a non-partisan group whose member organizations believe that every person in Maine should have access to high quality health care at a cost they can afford. Working with the Alliance continues the Maine Council of Church’s ongoing efforts around health care access and system reform.
The Alliance steering committee includes: AARP – Maine, American Cancer Society, Consumers for Affordable Health Care, Maine Center for Economic Policy, Maine Equal Justice Partners, Maine Medical Association, Maine Parent Federation and the Maine People's Resource Center. The Maine Council of Churches works with the Alliance both to advocate for its goals and to educate the public on health care and health care reform issues as we move towards the full implementation of the Affordable Care Act in 2014.
Learn more about the Health Care for Maine Alliance
The Maine Council of Churches endorses the following statement, developed by Faithful Reform in Health Care, a national interfaith collation of national, state and local organizations and individuals committed to working together on health care reform. This statement reflects our shared values and is intended to encourage congregations and individuals in Maine to reflect upon the health care public policy debate in light of those values and their own theological and ethical commitments:
As people of faith, we envision a society where each person is afforded health, wholeness, and human dignity. That vision embraces a system of health care that is inclusive... accessible... affordable... and accountable.
Vision ~ Inclusive: Health care is a shared responsibility that is grounded in our common humanity. In the bonds of our human family, we are created to be equal. We are guided by a divine will to treat each person with dignity and to live together as an inclusive community. Affirming our commitment to the common good, we acknowledge our enduring responsibility to care for one another. As we recognize that society is whole only when we care for the most vulnerable among us, we are led to discern the human right to health care and wholeness. Therefore, we are called to act with compassion by sharing our abundant health care resources with everyone.
Vision ~ Affordable: Health care must contribute to the common good by being affordable for individuals, families and society as a whole. We believe that in the sacred act of creation we are endowed with the talents, wisdom and abundant resources necessary to meet the needs of one another, including the health care needs of all. Therefore, in our calling to be faithful stewards, we understand our responsibility to use our health care resources effectively, to administer them efficiently, and to distribute them with equity.
Vision ~ Accessible: All persons should have access to health services that provide necessary care and contribute to wellness. We believe humanity is sacred and that all persons should benefit from those actions which contribute to our health and wholeness. Therefore, we are called to act with justice and love, to ensure that all of us have access to the health care we need in order to live out the fullness of our potential both as individuals and as contributing members of our society. We must work together to identify and overcome all barriers to and disparities in such care.
Vision ~ Accountable: Our health care system must be accountable, offering a quality, equitable and sustainable means of keeping us healthy as individuals and as a community. We believe that as spiritual and sacred vessels, we are responsible for the care of our bodies to the best of our ability and for the care of one another regardless of individual circumstances. Therefore, individuals, families, governments, businesses, and the faith community are called to work in partnership for a system that ensures fully-informed, timely, quality and safe care that treats body, mind and spirit.
