Sullivan Ezra
Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum), Rome, Italy.
Linacre Q. 2021 Feb;88(1):82-93. doi: 10.1177/0024363920949790. Epub 2020 Aug 20.
In the present time, what has been called the "medical-industrial insurance complex" in the United States needs reform. As health insurance in the United States remains inaccessible to millions of people, and as prices continue to rise, questions arise about the most moral ways to ensure delivery of health care especially to the most vulnerable populations. In this essay, I offer a virtue analysis of the moral implications of health insurance mandated by the US Government in contrast to an increasingly popular alternative to insurance, namely, healthcare sharing ministries. In part 1, I list some of the moral problems entangled with US Government-mandated health insurance, including injustice, disrespect for patient autonomy, limitations on patient freedom, exploitation of patients for profit, undermining of conscience rights, cooperation with evil, and scandal. In part 2, I discuss the issue of risk and then list some potential moral advantages to healthcare ministries, including respect for patient autonomy, conscience, and the religious freedom to witness to the Catholic faith in charity and solidarity.
Mandated health insurance the United States presents some moral challenges for conscientious Catholics, whereas healthcare sharing ministries appear to ameliorate some of these issues. Ultimately, the individual should have freedom to choose either insurance or healthcare sharing, given the different benefits and risks entailed by both.
目前，美国所谓的“医疗-工业保险联合体”需要改革。由于数百万美国人仍无法获得医疗保险，且价格持续上涨，因此出现了一些问题，即如何以最道德的方式确保提供医疗保健服务，尤其是为最弱势群体提供服务。在本文中，我对美国政府强制推行的医疗保险的道德影响进行了美德分析，并将其与一种日益流行的保险替代方案——医疗共享部进行对比。在第一部分，我列举了一些与美国政府强制推行的医疗保险相关的道德问题，包括不公正、不尊重患者自主权、限制患者自由、为获取利润剥削患者、破坏良心权利、与邪恶合作以及丑闻。在第二部分，我讨论了风险问题，然后列举了医疗共享部的一些潜在道德优势，包括尊重患者自主权、良心以及在慈善和团结中见证天主教信仰的宗教自由。
美国强制推行的医疗保险给有良知的天主教徒带来了一些道德挑战，而医疗共享部似乎缓解了其中一些问题。最终，鉴于两者所带来的不同益处和风险，个人应有权自由选择保险或医疗共享。
