Perhaps the strongest effort toward health care reform is the Universal Health Care Action Network and its current U2K Campaign, "Universal Health Care in the Year 2000." U2K wants to make fundamental health care reform—defined as quality universal health care that is accessible, comprehensive, affordable, and publicly accountable—a key issue on the national political agenda during the 2000 elections and beyond.
Faith communities have been vital to U2K on a national and local level. The National Council of Churches serves as a founder, along with labor unions and advocates for the elderly. Religious groups ranging from Church Women United to the Catholic social justice lobby NETWORK have joined the campaign. But Linda Walling, U2K’s faith-based coordinator, says, "This truly is a grassroots movement. More and more, local health care coalitions are finding out about us, and calling and saying ‘Hey, how can we join?’" Walling explains that faith groups who have never had the chance to work together are given the opportunity through U2K. "It’s a natural fit," she remarks. "There is no faith community that does not have the importance of health and healing as a part of its teaching."
Read the Full Article
