Group Discussion Questions
Faith And The City Forum: Interfaith Dialogue on Public Issues

Topic/Title: "Economics of Healthcare: Covering the Uninsured"
Recorded: March 17, 2003
First Aired: March 18, at 7:30 AM

Faith And The City Forum is one of several initiatives by Faith And The City, a nonprofit organization that works to encourage a sense of community throughout the 20-county metro Atlanta region by amplifying the voices of the many religious traditions represented in the region.

Panelists for above discussion:

Ms. Jean O'Conner
Director
Health Insurance Planning Grant, State of Georgia

Dr. William Buck Baker
President
Atlanta Regional Health Forum

Dr. Analia Bortz
Rabbi, Ahavath Achim Synagogue
Member, Bio-Ethics Committee/Scottish Rite and Egleston Hospital

Dr. Khalid Siddiq
Endocrinologist
Director, Al-Farooq Masjid of Atlanta

The following questions are offered to encourage discussion of this important public issue.

1. Are healthcare insurance costs too high? Why or why not?

2. Do you know anyone who has inadequate insurance coverage or none at all?

3. Many insurance companies refuse to pay for preventive healthcare -- although most experts acknowledge that prevention is far less costly than treatment. Should insurance companies pay for preventive care? Why or why not?

4. Do you know what the cost of uncompensated healthcare -- that which is provided to the uninsured? If not, will you find out?

5. Is the healthcare system really broken, as many observers suggest, or is it essentially an effective system that simply requires adjustment?

6. What do you say to the argument that our society can afford to provide equal access to healthcare for all its members -- and that we should do so because all people are created equal in the eyes of God?

7. One panelist suggested that we must view the plight of the uninsured from a faith perspective, address it with compassion, and understand that life is precious. With such a perspective, we must then understand that there will be costs associated with providing equal access -- and, finally, we must approach the challenge with less self-interest. What do you say to that argument?

8. Are faith communities doing enough as advocates for those who lack adequate healthcare coverage? What is your faith tradition doing? What is your congregation doing? What more can you do?

There is a quick and easy way to express your view on any public issue to our elected and appointed leaders: You can find email addresses for hundreds of leaders from the local to the national level by visiting the "contacts" section of our website at http://www.faithandthecity.org. Why not email your views to your representatives in city, county, state, or federal government? You can do it now by clicking here.