Commentators predict that healthcare will be a major issue in this year's presidential election. Already the candidates have broadly outlined their proposals to improve the system and expand access to healthcare for the 44 million uninsured in this country.
In this issue's special section, which begins on page 33, Health Progress furthers the national dialogue with articles that consider healthcare reform from several different perspectives. Charles J. Dougherty takes a look at why the last great effort to reform the American healthcare system failed and why it is morally imperative to continue to press the issue. Rev. Michael D. Place explores the values underlying reform as expressed by Card. Joseph Bernardin's phrase, "the consistent ethic of life." Michael Connelly outlines six points for reform that can help us focus on avenues for change, and Felicien "Fish" Brown takes a hard look at the policy-making process in Washington and delineates where it might go from here. On page 33, we introduce you briefly to some of CHA's efforts to make accessible and affordable healthcare for all a reality; for more information, contact Maureen McCullough, vice president, advocacy and public policy, 202-296-3993.
Teach and Learn
Voter education on specific issues is vital during a presidential campaign, but an ongoing exchange of ideas in a forum for mutual learning is part of what Health Progress does every day. Teaching, and learning, take many forms, and in this issue Martha Holstein tells us how older people can teach us about love and faith, while Sr. Juliana Casey, IHM, explains how learning from its past helped Catholic Health East shape its future. Readers can learn strategies for improving hope in the workplace from Robert Veninga's article, or how a group purchasing program strengthens faith-based healthcare organizations from Laurie Fojut. You can participate in this learning exchange; just contact us at [email protected] with your ideas.