Recording coming soon.

Co-sponsored by the Journal of Law and Public Policy and the Terrence J. Murphy Institute for Catholic Thought, Law, and Public Policy

Access to quality health care is essential to human thriving, indeed, to human survival. Last year when speaking to health care workers, Pope Francis said: “A world that rejects the sick, that does not assist those who cannot afford care, is a cynical world with no future. Let us always remember this: health care is not a luxury, it is for everyone.” The culture of care has long been upheld in human societies around the world, predating the familiar story of the Good Samaritan.

Although nearly all agree on the aspirational ideal of access to quality health care, difficult questions remain as to how best to achieve that goal in a manner that does not create more harm than it cures. The conventional wisdom has been that a public health model may succeed in providing universal coverage but at the significant cost of quality health care. By contrast, while a largely private model may provide high quality health care to those who can afford it, many are left without meaningful access.

In this symposium, we will hear from leading scholars and those on the front lines of health care provision on the subjects of universal access to quality health care, including both public and private models. In addition, speakers will address the distinct calling and mission of Catholic health care provision. The proceedings will be published in a forthcoming issue of the St. Thomas Journal of Law and Public Policy.

CLE Credit

6 CLE credits approved.  Please email an attorney number to murphyinstit@stthomas.edu for our records. 

The CLE event code for this program is 500361.

Symposium Schedule

9:00am Welcome

9:15am Opening Keynote

Prof. Jill Horwitz, UCLA

10-11:45am Panel A: Universal Access to Healthcare

Associate Dean Valarie Blake, West Virginia College of Law; Prof. Roberto Aspholm, University of St. Thomas; Prof. Gabriel Scheffler, University of Miami School of Law

12pm Afternoon Keynote

Prof. David Hyman, Georgetown University

1:15-3pm Panel B: Quality Healthcare under Private System

Prof. Charles Silver, University of Texas; Mr. Daniel McLaughlin, University of St. Thomas; Mr. Peter Nelson, Center of the American Experiment; Dr. Markus Müller, Medical University of Vienna, Austria

3:15-4:45pm Panel C: Catholic Medical Care

Prof. Martin Schlag, University of St. Thomas; Mr. Louis Brown, Catholic University of America; Mr. Gregory Baumberger, Catholic Eldercare