[GPSCC-chat] Fw: [HCA-SantaClara] The Presbyterian Church-USA takes step toward divestment from for-profit health insurance companies

[Caroline Yacoub]

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Sent: Sat, July 7, 2012 7:49:31 PM
Subject: [HCA-SantaClara] The Presbyterian Church-USA takes step toward 
divestment from for-profit health insurance companies

  
This is powerful and important work. the Presbyterian church has supported 
Single Payer for a long time.



  


News Release   7-6-12
Johanna W.H.van Wijk-Bos
 
Today the Presbyterian Church (USA) took a step toward divestment from 
for-profit health insurance companies in the US by instructing the appropriate 
committee of the General Assembly to begin a process of information gathering.  
The Mission Through Responsible Investing Committee (MRTI) is instructed by the 
General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) to request information and 
explanations of health insurance companies. This information will focus 
especially on the insurers’ practices in regard to state and federal lobbying 
expenditures and political campaign contributions, government subsidies and 
profit margins, denials of claims, and top executives’ compensation packages. 
Other directives include a conversation with the Board of Pensions, the 
overseeing body that works with the health care provider, to ensure that the 
church’s health plan submits to the same standards that it asks of other 
insurers. Based on its analysis MRTI will evaluate the variance between church 
principles of universal access and affordability on the one hand and corporate 
objectives on the other. It will also assess the likelihood of significant 
change in corporate behavior.
 
In addition, the committee is to recommend measures to the appropriate Council 
of the church, including possible divestment from the health insurance 
companies, measures that will strengthen the integrity of the church’s practice. 
The relevant committees and councils are requested to report on their action to 
the General Assemblies of 2014 and 2016, with an eye to guiding individual 
Presbyterians, congregations and mid-councils, in relation to their own 
investment holdings in this major part of the economy.
 
Finally, all official bodies are encouraged to continue to support 
cost-effective health coverage for all through the single payer (or expanded 
Medicare) model common elsewhere in the developed world, and to support making 
health care affordable and transparent.

The overture for this step originated with the Mid-Kentucky Presbytery, was 
joined by the Presbyteries of Albany, New York City, Long Island and West 
Jersey, and was approved overwhelmingly by the Committee on Health Issues of the 
General Assembly on July 3, 2012.


Johanna W.H.van Wijk-Bos

Dora Pierce Professor of Bible – Louisville Presbyterian Seminary

Minister member of Mid-Kentucky Presbytery


Contact: jovanwijk at gmail.com
_______________________________________




https://www.pc-biz.org/IOBView.aspx?m=ro&id=3735 

21-01On Instructing MRTI to Study and Report Corporate Practices of Health 
Insurance Companies and Possible Divestment of Same—From the Presbytery of 
Mid-Kentucky.

Source:Presbytery Sponsor:
Mid-Kentucky Presbytery 


http://pc-biz.org/Explorer.aspx?id=3735

ASSEMBLY ACTION 
On this Item, the General Assembly, acted as follows: 
Approve as Amended

Voice Vote 
Final Text:
In response to Item 21-01, that the 220th General Assembly (2012) approve the 
following alternate recommendation: 



“1.  The MRTI Committee is instructed to request information and explanations of 
health insurance company policy and practice on: state and federal lobbying 
expenditures and political/campaign contributions, government subsidies and 
profit margins related to provisions of the healthcare ‘reform’ legislation, 
aggregate data on increases in premiums and deductibles over the past ten years, 
categories and percentages of claims denied, and percentages of profits used in 
compensating top executives in comparison with return to shareholders.

“2.  The MRTI Committee is instructed to be in conversation with the PC(USA) 
Board of Pensions to ensure the PC(USA) health plan submits to the same 
standards that PC(USA), through MRTI, asks of other insurers.


“3.  Based on this corporate engagement and analysis, a summary of which shall 
be posted, MRTI is asked to evaluate the variance between church principles of 
universal access and affordability and corporate objectives, to assess the 
likelihood of significant change in corporate behavior, and to recommend to the 
GAMC and General Assembly measures, including possible divestment, that would 
strengthen the integrity of the church’s practice.

“4.  The GAMC, the Presbyterian Foundation, and the Board of Pensions, in turn, 
are requested to report on their actions (or request guidance) to the 221st and 
222nd General Assembly (2014) and (2016), with an eye to guiding individual 
Presbyterians, congregations, and mid councils in relation to their own 
investment holdings in this major part of the economy.


“5.  The Office of Public Witness and other Presbyterian bodies are encouraged 
to continue to support cost-effective health coverage for all through the single 
payer (or expanded Medicare) model common elsewhere in the developed world, and, 
to support making health care affordable and transparent.”


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