'Moral outrage' sparks interfaith cooperation on problem of uninsured

Published: 2004-04-23

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Garland Pohl of Houston recently came across the bill for her own birth. With doctors' charges and the 14-day hospital stay that was standard at that time for a normal birth, the bill totaled $90. When her first child was born, the charges -- including five days in a private hospital room -- came to $350. But now Pohl has a grandson who is a hemophiliac. By the time he was 3, his health care costs had exceeded $2 million, just for the routine care to prevent a major problem. Her "moral outrage" at the health care crisis in this country and the scandal of 44 million Americans, including 8.5 million children, who lack any health insurance led Pohl, president of the National Association of Diocesan Ecumenical Officers, to sign on for a second year as a member of the national interfaith advisory board for Cover the Uninsured Week, set for May 10-16 this year. The 11-member board also includes Nancy Wisdo, director of the Office of Domestic Social Development at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, as well as representatives of the National Council of Churches, Jewish Council for Public Affairs, Islamic Society of North America and various Christian churches.

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