Horizons magazine is published by Presbyterian Women (PW) the national women’s organization of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).
Issue link: http://horizons.epubxp.com/i/52581
Witnessing to the Importance of Medicaid and Medicare ᑀᑀᑀ BY CHRIS MCCAIN istry in the nation's capital. Instructed by resolutions passed by the PC(USA) General Assembly, the Office of Pub- lic Witness (OPW) advocates on domestic and international issues. OPW staff members meet regularly with national policymakers, partici- pate actively in ecumenical and inter- faith coalitions, and educate and empower Presbyterians about the positions of the denomination. Undergirding all of its work, the S OPW, together with the interfaith community, bears witness to the work of God through regular prayer. In the summer of 2011, as the debate over increasing the federal debt ceil- ing heated up, the OPW participated in daily prayer vigils for a just and compassionate federal budget. Gath- ering every day for several weeks in front of its offices in the United Methodist Building on Capitol Hill, the OPW paused to pray for the nation's elected leaders as they debated proposals for reducing the federal deficit. During this time of anemic eco- nomic recovery, millions of people are relying on Unemployment Insur- ance, Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security, SNAP (formerly Food Stamps) and countless other federally funded services. In their daily prayer vigils last summer, religious leaders called on members of Congress and President Obama to refuse considera- tion of drastic cuts to these social safety-net programs—especially Medicaid and Medicare—that serve the poor and vulnerable. 40 ince 1946, Presbyterians have maintained a public witness min- Medicaid provides access to medical services at all stages of life, from the beginning to the end of life. Not only does Medicaid pay for 40 percent of all live births in the United States, it also is the primary payer for 64 percent of all nursing home residents. Understanding the Importance Established in 1965 as part of the "War on Poverty," Medicaid and Medicare are vitally important pro- grams that support the health and well-being of our nation's older adults. Serving about 46 million Americans, Medicare is the primary source of health insurance for seniors living in the United States. Administered jointly by federal and state governments, Medicaid provides comprehensive health coverage to about 60 million people. Children make up about half of all Medicaid enrollees, and women aged 18–64 make up three quarters of all adult beneficiaries. Medicaid is the largest source of funding for long-term care services. About 21 percent of Medicare beneficiaries are eligible for Medicaid. These so-called "dual eligibles"—70 percent of whom are women—are low-income seniors and younger persons with disabilities who rely on Medicaid to fill the gaps in Medicare coverage. Totaling nearly 9 million people, dual eligibles are among our nation's sickest and poorest individuals. As people of faith, we believe that God desires shalom—wholeness and healing—for all people, regardless of their financial status. In recent political discussions about the future of social safety-net programs, the OPW has been concerned that the voices of the most vulnerable people in our midst are most often missing at the bargaining table. We must remind our elected officials not to overlook those people who depend on our public health insurance programs to survive. As Congress continues to consider reforms to Medicaid and Medicare, the PC(USA) Office of Public Witness will continue to advocate for these programs, ever mindful of how potential changes might impact "the least of these who are members of [Christ's] family" (Mt. 25:40). Chris McCain served as a 2011 Beatitudes Society Summer Fellow in the Office of Public Witness for the PC(USA). T ᑁᑄᑃᑇᑅᑀᑂᑆᑇᑄ ᑇᑗᑥᑗᑦᑀᑦᑖᑓᑀᑅᑆᑈᑀᑨᑓᑐᑥᑗᑦᑓᑀᑉᑦ ᑖᑦᑦᑣᑃᑂᑂᑕᑉᑠᑑᑁᑣᑑᑧᑥᑉᑁᑢᑤᑕᑂᑠᑗᑡᑗᑥᑦᑤᑗᑓᑥᑂ ᑨᑉᑥᑖᑗᑡᑕᑦᑢᑡᑀᑔᑢᑤᑀᑠᑢᑤᑓ ᑗᑡᑔᑢᑤᑠᑉᑦᑗᑢᑡᑀᑢᑡᑀᑉᑀᑘᑧᑥᑦᑀᑔᑓᑒᑓᑤᑉᑙ ᑐᑧᑒᑕᑓᑦᑀᑉᑡᑒᑀᑢᑡᑀᑣᑤᑢᑦᑓᑑᑦᑗᑡᑕ ᑄᑓᑒᑗᑑᑉᑗᑒᑀᑉᑡᑒᑀᑄᑓᑒᑗᑑᑉᑤᑓᑁ suppor ting mi s s ion Thinkstock.com