Many of Jesus' miracles were miracles of healing. He touched and healed lepers, restored sight, caused the lame to walk and renewed the life of the woman who had suffered for years with a flow of blood. Clearly, we have understood Jesus' concern for physical well-being as a commission to carry on that work of healing. Today in the United States we have a health care system that is in crisis. Health care providers, health office workers, health support staff, insurers, and payers form a patchwork system without any coordination based on policy.
Health statistics tell an ugly story.
At any given time about 35 million people in the U.S., one-seventh of the population, have no health care coverage. They are not covered by private insurance, employer-based insurance or government programs. Another 60 million people, including a large proportion of the elderly, do not have adequate coverage. In the U.S. we pay more for health care than other industrialized nations and get less for our money. These dollars and percentages are rising daily.