I talked to a director of one of our clinics this afternoon, who told me that three churches in his city have cut them out of their mission budgets because with the new healthcare legislation, they felt there would no longer any need for that clinic.
They are wrong.
I would love to tell you that is the only story like that I have heard. But I can’t. The day after the bill passed, a clinic in another state got a call from their largest grantor saying the same thing. My phone has rung off the wall for over a month from clinics with similar stories.
There is a lot of misunderstanding about what this health bill will do, and when it will do it. And unless we help folks understand what is REALLY happening, a lot of people are going to be even worse off than before.
The legislation that recently passed is mostly a good thing. Personally, I am happy about it, though I think it starts on the wrong end of the problem. 32 million other people will be happy about it, too – many of them patients who have been using our clinics for years. When the bill kicks into gear there will be some wonderful opportunities for Christian clinics and their patients, and some giant challenges, too.
…when the bill kicks into gear.
So here is the straight scoop…
• The bill doesn’t really kick into gear for the uninsured until 2014. That is a long time from now. We won’t see the full benefits of the bill until 2016.
• By conservative estimates 20,000 people die every year because they cannot get primary care. If safety net clinics like those in CCHF loose capacity between now and 2014, the number of people who suffer and die because they cannot get access to primary care will go up significantly.
• Estimates through the federal CBO say that even after the health reform bill kicks in, there will be 24 million people living in our country who will be uninsured. That is right. Of the 56 million people expected to be uninsured by 2019, only 32 million are going to be covered under this bill. That means that America will still have the largest number of uninsured people of any developed nation. We will still be #1 on the wrong list.
• The bill doesn’t magically create enough doctors to see the surge of 32 million new patients. There are still over 17,000 federally recognized medically underserved areas in the U.S. 95 million people currently live in those medically underserved areas. While this bill provides $11 billion to fund new health centers, there are not currently enough doctors in training to fill them – not even close to enough.
Thinking ahead to 2019…surely, 20 million uninsured is better than 56 million, right? So surely there will be less need. More than half of the patients coming to our clinics will be covered, won’t they?
Right now, reliable estimates are that all community health centers (FQHCs) and all free or “charitable” clinics combine to see less than 10 million uninsured people. Virtually all of these clinics are running at or above capacity. The current capacity of charitable and FQHC clinics is half of what will be needed AFTER health insurance reform kicks in!
• CCHF is affiliated with about 200 clinics nationally. About 20% are FQHC or Look Alike clinics (clinics that take Medicaid and receive federal funds), and just over 75% are “charitable” clinics (funded through private donations). Virtually all of our clinics are reporting increases in patient demand of 20% to 50% in the last 24 months. Every clinic I visit tells me with urgency in their voices about how many patients they are turning away every week. One clinic recently reported that they were turning away 150 patients per day because they are already operating well over capacity.
The other legislation that is impacting our world is the economic stimulus and recovery packages. The problem is that they are giving money to the wrong folks. The goal is to restore the institutions that got us into this mess to begin with. Corporate managers are paying themselves bonuses; but the folks who visit our clinics are still out of work, still under paid, still uninsured, still loosing their homes and still can’t afford their medications.
Here is the punch-line…
The economy is not looking up for the people at our end of the world. The poor are getting poorer. The need for Christian doctors to sacrifice time and salary to work among the poor in our clinics is great than ever and growing. The need for us to help these courageous, selfless providers care for the sick is greater than ever and growing. The most efficient and effective health care is being provided by Christian clinics - both charitable clinics and FQHCs. Empowering them to do more will have a direct impact on lowering the overall cost of healthcare in America. (Christian FQHCs rank in the top 5% of community health centers in terms of efficiency; and for every $1 spent, faith-driven charitable clinics provide $8 in health care.)
So health reform has not changed much. 30+million people have hope that 4 years from now they might be able to get insurance. But millions of those live in areas where they still can’t find a doctor who will see them. Well over 20 million people will still be uninsured.
We could quadruple the number of CCHF clinics and double the capacity of every current ministry - and still need more if we are to rise to meet the need in our nation.
It is going to take a movement. Even when reforms kick in. This is an important time for us to turn up the volume of our message.
The need is growing. The opportunities are great. Christ calls us to heal the sick and care for the poor. There are bothers and sisters who are answering the call. Lord, increase their number!
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Monday, April 19, 2010
The Future of Healthcare
About this time last year CCHF recognized that something was likely to come out of Washington that would drastically change the face of healthcare in our nation. We knew it would have a huge impact on the way we view what we do, and on the way faith-driven clinics would direct their ministries. Prayerfully, we decided to make “The Future of Healthcare’ the theme of Conference 2010.
The healthcare reform bill was no surprise. We were surprised that it took as long as it did. We were surprised at how medical community, and specifically the faith-based medical community, seemed to be off guard the by the passage of the bill. And we were surprised by much of the dialogue that led up to the passage of the bill. Debate was strong and passionate. But not much of what was being said by either side was rooted in the Bible. At a time when our nation needed to hear a clear prophetic voice, most Christians just repeated what they were hearing in the news.
As Americans living in a democracy, we have the right to our opinions. We have the constitutionally protected freedom to hold partisan positions and to say what we think. I am grateful that we live in a country that defends those rights.
As ambassadors of Christ we have the opportunity and responsibility to speak on behalf of His government – the kingdom of God. The cross that we take up daily puts an end to our personal opinions and freedoms. We are God’s prophetic community. On the day of Pentecost, the Apostle Peter defined the new era of Jesus’ post-resurrected exaltation as a time when Christ has begun His rule, and that His people would prophesy – men and women speaking with authority and conviction what they have heard from Him.
God’s prophetic people cannot side with partisan politics. When we line up with one side or another, we allow the world to label us – to put us into a box. They see us a subset of some larger group that can easily be dismissed. We become a voice in the choir, our influence drowned out in the din of political opinion. We become associated in the world’s eyes with people who express their narrow views in anger and hatred. Neither embraced nor persecuted, we are ignored.
That is not who we are designed to be. As one Christian leader put it, “We are not moving to the right, and we are not moving to the left. We are going deeper, and are committed to prophetically hold both sides accountable to the interests of God.”
Prophetic people are those who show up to the debate with a plumb line in their hand, to represent what God has shown in His word to be His indelible standard. Being a prophetic people requires that we be diligent in study and in prayer. We must seek the wisdom and will of God through examination of His word, through dialogue with God in prayer, and through the counsel of other prophetic Christians who are doing the same.
CCHF Conference 2010 takes up the issue of the Future of Healthcare on three levels. First, we understand that the future of healthcare in our nation lies in the next generation – Christian students and residents. So we want to consider how we can best envision, equip and empower that generation to be courageous leaders in medicine, and to advance the culture of our community so that it more clearly reflects Christ’s heart and will.
Secondly, we must talk practically about the immediate future – the next 5 to 10 years. Health reform is giving us the opportunity to reevaluate our mission statements, values and structures. We want to define the things that need to change and identify the things that need to remain the same. We need to dialogue and pray together about how our individual organizations and ministries are going to adjust in a reasoned Biblical response to the coming changes in primary care.
But thirdly, and perhaps most importantly, we need to recover a Biblical vision for the institution of medicine and specifically primary care. God cares about medicine and healthcare. The success or failure of any health system will be determined by how it does or does not reflect the will and character of God. Medicine is not a sovereign. As believers, we cannot afford to see ourselves as just a small part in this vast and powerful institution. Rather, as Christ’s ambassadors we are stewards, determined to make the community of healthcare the servant of Christ.
Personally, I don’t want to be one of those who merely criticize the system, pointing out its flaws. I want to be part of a community that speaks with prophetic clarity about a visionary system of medical care that embodies the attributes we see in Christ and His kingdom. But we cannot speak about what we have not seen. We will not see that for which we are not searching.
I am under no illusion that we can define the ultimate future of healthcare in 3 short days at this conference. But my hope is that we will recognize the destiny that we have to represent God’s mind regarding healthcare, and to dedicate ourselves to seeking Him together and talking about it.
It is going to take a movement. I am willing.
The healthcare reform bill was no surprise. We were surprised that it took as long as it did. We were surprised at how medical community, and specifically the faith-based medical community, seemed to be off guard the by the passage of the bill. And we were surprised by much of the dialogue that led up to the passage of the bill. Debate was strong and passionate. But not much of what was being said by either side was rooted in the Bible. At a time when our nation needed to hear a clear prophetic voice, most Christians just repeated what they were hearing in the news.
As Americans living in a democracy, we have the right to our opinions. We have the constitutionally protected freedom to hold partisan positions and to say what we think. I am grateful that we live in a country that defends those rights.
As ambassadors of Christ we have the opportunity and responsibility to speak on behalf of His government – the kingdom of God. The cross that we take up daily puts an end to our personal opinions and freedoms. We are God’s prophetic community. On the day of Pentecost, the Apostle Peter defined the new era of Jesus’ post-resurrected exaltation as a time when Christ has begun His rule, and that His people would prophesy – men and women speaking with authority and conviction what they have heard from Him.
God’s prophetic people cannot side with partisan politics. When we line up with one side or another, we allow the world to label us – to put us into a box. They see us a subset of some larger group that can easily be dismissed. We become a voice in the choir, our influence drowned out in the din of political opinion. We become associated in the world’s eyes with people who express their narrow views in anger and hatred. Neither embraced nor persecuted, we are ignored.
That is not who we are designed to be. As one Christian leader put it, “We are not moving to the right, and we are not moving to the left. We are going deeper, and are committed to prophetically hold both sides accountable to the interests of God.”
Prophetic people are those who show up to the debate with a plumb line in their hand, to represent what God has shown in His word to be His indelible standard. Being a prophetic people requires that we be diligent in study and in prayer. We must seek the wisdom and will of God through examination of His word, through dialogue with God in prayer, and through the counsel of other prophetic Christians who are doing the same.
CCHF Conference 2010 takes up the issue of the Future of Healthcare on three levels. First, we understand that the future of healthcare in our nation lies in the next generation – Christian students and residents. So we want to consider how we can best envision, equip and empower that generation to be courageous leaders in medicine, and to advance the culture of our community so that it more clearly reflects Christ’s heart and will.
Secondly, we must talk practically about the immediate future – the next 5 to 10 years. Health reform is giving us the opportunity to reevaluate our mission statements, values and structures. We want to define the things that need to change and identify the things that need to remain the same. We need to dialogue and pray together about how our individual organizations and ministries are going to adjust in a reasoned Biblical response to the coming changes in primary care.
But thirdly, and perhaps most importantly, we need to recover a Biblical vision for the institution of medicine and specifically primary care. God cares about medicine and healthcare. The success or failure of any health system will be determined by how it does or does not reflect the will and character of God. Medicine is not a sovereign. As believers, we cannot afford to see ourselves as just a small part in this vast and powerful institution. Rather, as Christ’s ambassadors we are stewards, determined to make the community of healthcare the servant of Christ.
Personally, I don’t want to be one of those who merely criticize the system, pointing out its flaws. I want to be part of a community that speaks with prophetic clarity about a visionary system of medical care that embodies the attributes we see in Christ and His kingdom. But we cannot speak about what we have not seen. We will not see that for which we are not searching.
I am under no illusion that we can define the ultimate future of healthcare in 3 short days at this conference. But my hope is that we will recognize the destiny that we have to represent God’s mind regarding healthcare, and to dedicate ourselves to seeking Him together and talking about it.
It is going to take a movement. I am willing.
Friday, February 26, 2010
It is going to take a Movement...
A recent study from George Washington University found that over 95 million Americans live in medically under-served areas. Of those, over 46 million are chronically uninsured. It is estimated that between 20,000 and 45,000 people in America die every year from preventable, easily treated medical issues that were untreated because the victim did not have access to primary care. Either there was no doctor in their community, or they could not afford to go to the one that was there. Even using the most conservative figures, that works out to one death every 20 minutes.
As followers of Christ, we understand that He calls us to heal the sick and preach the Kingdom. We are called to care for the poor or "under-resourced" people. This blog is about how we as Christians can respond to our responsibility to bring healing and good news to people caught in the hard places in our nation's society.
Blogging is new to me. I feel like an old dog trying to learn a new trick. Your help is welcome, as friends and I wade through this process. I tend to be a preacher in an age where sermonizing style is loosing relevance. I am trying to be less of a lecturer, and more of someone who asks the right questions - who makes room for us to discover together practical ways to express our love for Jesus through the way we engage the world at its points of need. Fortunately, I am in the company of masters of communication, like Nathan Cook, Rick Donlon, and others who will contribute to this blog.
As a Christ-follower, how are you answering our corporate call to engage our hurting world? I hope you will tell your story. Start here. Send us an email. Join me in sharing our stories with others. It is going to take a movement to adequately meet the needs of hurting people in our nation who are currently without healthcare.
Tell us your story, or tell us what you hope we can talk about in this blog. Let's commit together to be part of the solution - and to do it in a way that honors Christ.
As followers of Christ, we understand that He calls us to heal the sick and preach the Kingdom. We are called to care for the poor or "under-resourced" people. This blog is about how we as Christians can respond to our responsibility to bring healing and good news to people caught in the hard places in our nation's society.
Blogging is new to me. I feel like an old dog trying to learn a new trick. Your help is welcome, as friends and I wade through this process. I tend to be a preacher in an age where sermonizing style is loosing relevance. I am trying to be less of a lecturer, and more of someone who asks the right questions - who makes room for us to discover together practical ways to express our love for Jesus through the way we engage the world at its points of need. Fortunately, I am in the company of masters of communication, like Nathan Cook, Rick Donlon, and others who will contribute to this blog.
As a Christ-follower, how are you answering our corporate call to engage our hurting world? I hope you will tell your story. Start here. Send us an email. Join me in sharing our stories with others. It is going to take a movement to adequately meet the needs of hurting people in our nation who are currently without healthcare.
Tell us your story, or tell us what you hope we can talk about in this blog. Let's commit together to be part of the solution - and to do it in a way that honors Christ.
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