Equitable, accessible and ethical health care is an essential safeguard of human life. Health care is a basic human right, and genuine health care reform, recognizing the dignity of persons and the unique needs of the poor, is a matter of fundamental justice. The Catholic Conference remains committed to the right of religious-affiliated organizations to provide health care services according to their missions and to the provision of not-for-profit health care services, the maintenance of not-for-profit health systems, and the provision of services on a charity care basis, consistent with available revenues and responsible stewardship.

The Conference supports measures to expand health care access and coverage for low- and moderate-income individuals; adequate funding for appropriate Medicaid services for low-income New Yorkers and for institutions that provide core health care services in poor and underserved communities; the development of the full continuum of health care services in non-institutional settings, including adult care facilities, and community-based long-term care and home health care services; and support for adequate reimbursement for providers, including maintenance of economically sound reimbursement principles and trend factor rate adjustments that adequately reflect costs of health care services.

Ensure Access to Appropriate Ethical Health Care

Monitor implementation of legislation to enhance access to affordable health insurance

Despite enactment last year of provisions to extend coverage to hundreds of thousands of children and adults, the numbers of the uninsured in the state is once again on the rise (to 2.7 million). Monitoring is necessary to ensure that the goals of last year's actions are met and that potential coverage gaps and solutions are identified. more

Promote expansion of home health care, including an increase in payments for home health care workers, and expansion of telemedicine

A persistent and growing shortage of certified nursing assistants (CNAs), home health aides (HHAs) and licensed and registered nurses poses a substantial challenge to the ability of health care providers to meet the health care needs of our communities. This shortage impacts disproportionately on the provision of services for the frail elderly and in rural and inner city communities. more

Establish collaborative efforts to address health staffing and health faculty shortages through enhanced salaries and benefits

The Catholic Conference supports a variety of recruitment and retention initiatives designed to attract workers to the home health care profession. more

Increase medical reimbursement rates for essential health services

Providing services to Medicaid recipients, particularly emergency room and outpatient services, creates significant problems for providers who cannot meet their costs. more

Support promotion of appropriate pain management, palliative care and hospice care for the suffering and terminally ill

Compassionate pain management is an appropriate treatment option for individuals suffering from advanced stages of degenerative diseases, but current statutes restrict its application. Those seeking appropriate palliative and hospice care as alternatives to other measures can face obstacles in accessing such services. more

Promote increased access to care through voluntary physician and nurse practitioner programs to serve the uninsured

The Conference supports the establishment of a statewide program to enhance opportunities for primary care in rural and inner cities by combining the efforts of volunteer physicians and nurse practitioners with subsidies to cover operating and other costs. more

Promote ethical research into the life-saving potential of adult stem cells

The New York State Catholic Conference strongly supports ethical scientific inquiry using adult stem cells in the fight against disability and disease. At the same time, the Conference strongly opposes human cloning of any kind, as well as destructive embryonic stem cell research, and supports legislation at both the state and federal levels to prohibit it for any purpose. more

Promote Health System Reform

Support adequate financing for a reconfigured health care delivery system

The Conference supports the provision of financing adequate to handle the costs associated with reconfiguration, including mortgage and bond retirement, health workforce retraining and severance, and related expenses. more

Support investment in the health care infrastructure and in expansion of coverage

The New York State Catholic Conference has repeatedly called for greater public support for the health care delivery infrastructure, particularly for investment in home- and community-based health care services, as a complement to downsizing efforts. more

Enact measures to streamline the administrative processes in health insurance

The Conference supports legislation to establish statewide databases to verify health insurance eligibility and standardize insurance enrollment and to centralize and streamline credentialing of health care professionals. more