Reflecting on a broken health care system at Christmas

In the wake of the tragic murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, all of us who serve in health care must take time to pause and reflect on how we move forward. As a religious sister and leader of the Catholic Health Association of the United States, my reflection on this tragedy has called me to think more deeply about the season of Advent and the meaning of Christmas. For Christians, Advent is a time of waiting, of hopeful anticipation of Jesus’ coming into our lives to dispel the darkness that often fills our world. In that same spirit, I believe we are being called forth from the darkness of this tragedy to a renewed commitment to heal our broken American health care system.

Doing so will require bold change. We will not exit the darkness by pointing fingers, shifting blame, or digging in our heels to protect the status quo. Instead, we must unite, find common ground, and develop shared principles that will guide us in our efforts to reimagine health care in this country.

When I entered the Sisters of Mercy just over 40 years ago, I committed my life in service to the Gospel call to be mercy and compassion for all of God’s people. Initially I responded to that call as an educator and then social worker working with children in impoverished communities, until 30 years ago, through the invitation of Sr. Roch Rocklage, former health care executive and former chair of the American Hospital Association, I reluctantly stepped into health care serving on the traumatic brain injury unit of a large level 1 trauma center. Day after day, I encountered the challenges experienced by families and patients whose lives had been changed forever.  I quickly recognized the systemic issues that created barriers to their care.  Never had I imagined that one day I would be in a position to give national voice to those systemic issues that oppress people in need of health care, particularly those who experience poverty and are marginalized. 

Today, I continue to be shaped by the stories of those early “walking sisters” who took to the streets of the poorest and most vulnerable communities to attend to those in need. These sisters were on a mission to care, and as a result of their unwavering dedication and commitment, today, Catholic health (by which I mean all of the various Catholic hospitals and providers nationwide combined) is the largest provider of not-for-profit health care in this country. 

U.S. health care is typically reliable, generally functional, and occasionally miraculous. People today live longer and recover faster. Care once reserved for the wealthy is now at times accessible to all. Still, this system remains overly complex and shockingly inequitable. It routinely yields outcomes that create profound suffering and maddening frustration.

Insurance companies like United Healthcare are not the only ones to blame for a broken system

Over the past two weeks, we have heard heartbreaking stories about how the way we deliver and pay for health care adds to the misery of individuals and families. For those of us who have dedicated our lives to health care, these stories are hard to hear, even though they are so familiar. We know all too well the many reasons why our system fails.  But we also know that our colleagues — be they the 750,000 people who work in Catholic health care or the millions more who work for other providers — work tirelessly every day to ensure access for all and to provide compassionate care for those in need.

In the throes of frustration and grief, we crave simple black-and-white assignments of blame. Every day, I hear the “takes” of others — some of which are thought-provoking, others of which are misguided, and many of which are echoes of failed attempts to reform our broken health care system. Indeed, in my role with the Catholic Health Association, I too am tempted to use this window of attention to set forth our take on how to reform health care. Yet, I know that doing so will not result in the bold change that is so desperately needed.

The surest way forward will be to return to our founding values and principles — and the spirit of service — that inspired us and led us from the start. We must return to the commitment to respond to the needs of the communities we serve. We need to come back to a crucial first principle, “to love thy neighbor.”

This means all players who comprise American health care — payers, providers, pharmaceutical companies, government agencies, and other sectors — must be cognizant of seeking productive solutions to address challenges in the system rather than just finger pointing. How do we come together, rather than work at odds, to design a health care system in which services are accessible, not delayed, and claims are not denied? How do we have a health system in which treatments are thoughtfully prescribed? A system in which innovations move rapidly from discovery to universal access? A system in which people are fairly compensated for their work but never permitted to profit by reducing care for others? How do we reconsider care holistically — spiritual, mental, and physical health — in the context of the communities in which we live?

UnitedHealthcare is the name of a corporation, but perhaps it is also a description of the path forward. It is time for us to truly seek common ground and dialogue — payers, providers, pharmaceutical companies, medical technology, researchers, employers, and consumers — to reimagine health care in the United States. As a leader in Catholic health care— a sector that includes roughly 17% of all hospitals, clinics, and long-term care facilities in the United States today — I am personally committed to conversations with any and all who are prepared to take a fresh look, to consider bold change and to reimagine health, both in what we provide and how we provide it. CHA is prepared to convene the cross-sector collaborations that we so desperately need.

It is time for us to dispel the darkness of our health care industry through the light of integrity and compassion. 

Sister Mary Haddad is a member of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas as well as president and chief executive officer of the Catholic Health Association of the United States.