Healthy Utah 'a long stride' to helping those in need, Bishop Wester says

Friday, Dec. 05, 2014

Bishop Wester joined other Utah leaders at a press conference this morning, unveiling Gov. Herbert's ‎HealthyUtah‬ plan. Bishop Wester's statement follows:

"I have joined Gov. Herbert as he presents his Healthy Utah proposal because of my belief in, and our Catholic dedication to, protecting the sanctity and dignity of all human life.

Everyone needs access to affordable, quality health care. This is true regardless of where or whether they work, how much they earn, or where they live. It is simply unconscionable for low income, uninsured people to be forced to forego preventative care to the detriment of themselves and their families.

As a pastor, I find it tragic to minister to a gravely ill person who would not be grappling with a catastrophic illness if they had had access to appropriate treatments. It is equally untenable to see a family torn apart due to the stresses of medical conditions that go untreated because they cannot afford to pay for necessary procedures

As Pope Benedict affirmed in 2010, an individual's health is a "precious asset" to society that government should seek to protect by "dedicating the equipment, resources and energy so that the greatest number of people can have access." Healthy Utah takes a long stride toward providing the necessary resources for thousands of Utahns to access health care.

No human being is expendable. No family is disposable. I thank Gov. Herbert for his efforts through Healthy Utah to protect families and the dignity and sanctity of life in our state."