Faith-Based Investors Applaud Historic Vote on Health Care Reform

NEW YORK, NY///March 22, 2010///Today, ICCR's faith-based investors released the following statement on Sunday's historic vote on health care reform:

The Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility’s Health Care Reform Group welcomes Sunday night’s historic vote in the US House of Representatives to begin the reform of our nation’s health care system.   As long-term institutional investors, ICCR members recognize that health care reform is a critical, moral, social and business issue.

Through shareholder advocacy, ICCR members have encouraged corporations to adopt principles for health care reform that achieve a health system responsible for affordable, quality health care for all, and over thirty companies have done so. 

Over the last three years, 84 ICCR members signed a statement “that access to health care is a fundamental human right, benefits society and serves the individual, the common good and employers” and endorsed ICCR’s Principles for Health Care Reform: 

Health security: A reformed healthcare system will guarantee affordable quality health care for all. 

Access: In a reformed healthcare system, each individual, regardless of health or financial circumstances, has a set of portable and comprehensive core benefits that is sufficient for physical and mental health.

Quality: A reformed healthcare system will determine quality through the re-alignment of incentives as well as care design and care coordination to:

• Improve health outcomes
• Increase patient safety
• Provide evidence-based medical practice and appropriate investments to create a more effective and higher performing health care system.

Accountability: All stakeholders (individuals, providers, businesses, non-profits, governments) are accountable for the integrity, viability, and cost containment of the health care system.

Equitable financing: All stakeholders share responsibility for equitable financing of the system so that health care is affordable for all.

The legislation that the House passed on March 21, 2010 is a step towards making these Principles a reality.

ABOUT ICCR:
The Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR) is a coalition of 275 faith-based institutional investors, representing well over $100 billion in invested capital. ICCR members bridge the divide between morality and markets by envisioning a civic economy that integrates ethical, environmental and social values. Inspired by faith, committed to action, ICCR members work to build a just and sustainable global community.