WASHINGTON — A group of Jewish, Muslim, Protestant and Catholic leaders who rarely agree on theological or political issues said March 11 that care for the poor and sick transcends religious labels.
“In America, the wealthiest, most bountiful country in the history of the world, with the best doctors, the best hospitals, the best health care available, it’s a moral shame that we have 41 million people uninsured,” said Rabbi David Saperstein, director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism.
In a conference call hosted by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation as part of Cover the Uninsured Week, the religious leaders called on churches, mosques and synagogues to force political candidates to address the issue.
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation estimates that 75 million Americans went without health insurance for at least part of 2001, including half of Hispanics, 40 percent of blacks and one-third of the elderly. Studies show that those without health insurance are more likely to die as a result of illnesses that go either undetected or untreated.
The Bush administration proposed increased coverage by expanding community health centers, revamping Medicaid for poor people and instituting a series of tax credits to offset medical expenses. The religious leaders said their first task is to raise the issue and debate the proposals later.
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