Seeking Civil Discourse in the Health Reform Debate

The prospect of healthcare reform has generated heated debate while challenging our belief systems and testing our values as a society.

For 25 years, the Center’s role in these types of debates has been to provide information, help people gain understanding and find common ground.

With that in mind, the Center conducted a series of four public forums on healthcare reform during the month of October 2009. Entitled Healthcare Reform 2009: Truth Justice and the American Way, you may find links to audio of lectures and podcasts by clicking  here.

The aim is to provide as much information as possible from a variety of sources, allowing you to consider the issues and act accordingly.

If you have any questions or comments, please email bioethic@practicalbioethics.org.

The Center Speaks Out

• End of Life Component of Healthcare Reform: In or Out? Myra Christopher, Downtown Rotary Club, Kansas City, MO October 1
• Healthcare Reform: End of Life Issues, John Carney, First Presbyterian Church of Kansas City, KS, September 21
• Faith conversations on health care reform, Tarris Rosell, Ph.D. D.Min, Rosemary Flanigan Chair, Center for Practical Bioethics, Kansas City Star – Midwest Voices, August 31, 2009
• Don't give up on advance care planning, Myra Christopher testimony, Congressman Dennis Moore, August 27, 2009
• Health Care Forum, Myra Christopher panelist at United Methodist Church of the Resurrection
  Leawood, KS, August 25, 2009
• The elderly and disabled would be protected, Kansas City Star, August 23, 2009
  Clergy, community leaders say the health debate has been marred by misinformation, Kansas City Star, August 20, 2009
• Health Care Reform Supporters Slam 'Fear Mongering', WDAF-TV 4, August 19, 2009
• Faith Leaders Ask For Civil Discourse On Health Care, KMBC-TV 9, August 19, 2009
• False Information Muddles Health Debate, KCUR Radio, August 20, 2009
• End-of-Life Counseling Controversial Part of Health Care Reform, WDAF-TV 4, August 17, 2009
• Healthy question – What’s the Shouting Really All About? Kansas City Star, August 15, 2009
• The End of Life Scare, The Bioethics Channel podcast with Myra Christopher, 14 minutes 44 seconds, August 3, 2009
• “If we pervert this, we will all lose.” Blog: Practical Bioethics, July 31, 2009
• The Ethics of Rationing Healthcare, John Lantos, MD, July 10, 2009, 12 minutes 45 seconds
• Health Reform & End of Life Care, Myra Christopher, Christian Sinclair, MD, July 3, 2009 15 minutes 32 seconds
• Healthcare Reform: Deja vu all over again?, John Lantos, MD, March 13, 2009

Links:

• Birthplace of ‘death panel’ myth battles claims, MSNBC, September 4, 2009
• KC bishop, KCK archbishop back limited government role in health care, Kansas City Star, September 2, 2009
• Bioethicists fight myths over rationing, end-of-life care, American Medical News, September 2, 2009
• Sarah Palin, Meet Hippocrates, The New Republic, September 2, 2009
• Making Plans For The Last Chapter Of Life, National Public Radio, August 31, 2009
• What editorial writers are saying about end-of-life discussions, American Medical News, August 31, 2009
• Warner Holds Out Hope for End-of-Life Proposals, New York Times, August 27, 2009
• Response to the Recent Attacks on Bioethicists, Statement, American Society for Bioethics and Humanities, August 25, 2009
• End-of-life care provision stirs angst in health reform debate, American Medical News, August 24, 2009
• Bioethicist Becomes a Lightning Rod for Criticism, New York Times, August 24, 2009
• Health Affairs/RWJF Policy Brief: The Role of Federal Government in Health Care, Health Affairs/Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, August 24, 2009
• RWJF Policy Brief: The Role of Federal Government in Health Care
• Webcast on C-Span
• Coping With End-of-Life Decisions, Pew Research Center, August 20, 2009
• Primer on Healthcare Reform: Proposals in the 111th Congress, Powerpoint, John Carney, Center Vice President for Aging and End of Life, August 11, 2009
• Three Myths about the Ethics of Health Care Reform, Association of Bioethics Program Directors, August 11, 2009
• Kaiser Foundation Focus on Health Reform
• Dispelling the Myths of Health Care Reform, National Patient Advocate Foundation