Catholic bishops equate health care to a 'moral right'

[Thom Little]

Kentucky's Roman Catholic bishops on Wednesday released a statement that equates adequate health care to a "moral right" and said the state should do more to ensure medical treatment for those who cannot afford it.

A statement released by the Catholic Conference of Kentucky notes a 2004 study that estimated there were 600,000 Kentuckians without health insurance coverage, including 100,000 children.

"The lack of access to affordable health care for so many children and adults in our country and in Kentucky is a structural injustice that harms people and undermines the common good," said the statement.

.......

"We bishops of Kentucky consider access to adequate health care to be a basic human right, necessary for the development and maintenance of life and for the ability of human beings to realize the fullness of their dignity," said Archbishop Thomas C. Kelly, chairman of the board of the Catholic Conference.


http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/K/KY_CATHOLIC_CARE_KYOL-?SITE=VARIT&SECTION=US&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2005-12-07-16-06-34