Lenten Meditations - #9

​Lenten Meditations - #9
 
As we move through this Lenten season we can contemplate how we might design a more effective way of approaching medical care in the United States; a way which approximates the teachings of Jesus, specifically the teaching to “Do unto others as we would have them do to you. (Luke 6:31).”  This teaching is consistent in most religions and philosophies and certainly for  those of us who want to use the Christian framework to discern and design a more just health care system in the United States.
 
We have also known for years that many health care providers., including pharmaceutical companies,  in the United States:
 

• Blame  research costs for the high price of some medications even when a medication was originally developed to treat one illness and then discovered to be effective for another illness. 
• Rebrand some medications such as the epi pen which  have been around for years in a way which allows them to manipulate the patent laws to charge outrageous prices.
• Overcharge for medications or services so as to make a profit or to offset the cost of services for which they cannot get adequately reimbursed.
• Blame the high cost of medical education for the life time of high rates by some physicians – especially some specialty physicians
• Pander to patients who have been convinced that there is a pill which will allow them to avoid the tedious business of a slower, safer, long term treatment and basic good health care practices
• Support a health care system when promotes or encourages litigation which benefits no. one long term although some attorneys gain some short-term benefits.

 
The current health care systems provide limited benefits to patients and providers, is expensive and some might argue  stressful for most providers and patients.
 
The base of many pieces of the health care system is competitive  profit no matter how it affects the consumer.   Profits can  morph into greed which  has as its base the desire to prove one’s worth by having more status, stuff, or more  gross financial worth.
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We also know
 

• Punishment is not an effective deterrent against greed.
• Greed is a desire to use money to disconnect from one’s core self and from others. It is often seen as a measure of success. 
• Success is often now formulated in terms  of money, status, gender, race, religion, or sexual orientation.
• Success can be formulated as a spiritual principle.

 
 

• Application of spiritual principles must be experienced as belonging to a community which values everyone’s worth, talents  and use of those talents
• No one should  be punished for being ill  or limited in  physical or mental ability.
• Spiritual health is  the base which must be addressed if we are going to design and implement a health care system which is just, maximally effective and less stressful for providers and patients.  
• Spiritual health has to  taught beginning at a very young age.
• Spiritual health/core values  can and need to be explored in schools as well as modeled by parents and community leaders.

 
 
Written March 14, 2019
Jimmy F Pickett
coachpickett.org