By Andy Hale

Since 2013, my family has used HealthCare.gov for affordable health insurance. As more churches cut budgets, the number of members on an ACA plan has increased.  

The American medical system is expensive. For many, it feels like a tyrannical ruler with its astronomical cost. The number of people dealing with medical debt is unfathomable, leading many people to avoid care or not trust the system altogether.  

“Structural imbalances—ones we must work together on a society-wide level to address—are not only unjust, they’re increasingly difficult to ignore. Many systems we’ve taken for granted are headed toward collapse. Many people who’ve long been oppressed are now in full-blown crisis,” argued Lyndsey Medford on the CBF Podcast Conversation.  

Medford, the author of My Body and Other Crumbling Empires: Lessons for Healing in a World That Is Sick, sat down with us to discuss not only her difficult health journey but the theological underpinnings of the American healthcare system.  

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This podcast is presented by:

• Baylor’s Garland School of Social Work: Social workers can be found addressing the full scope of the human experience in churches, schools, prisons, government agencies, senior living centers, nonprofits and Fortune 500 companies.
• Baptist Seminary of Kentucky: BSK equips leaders through their Homegrown Initiative, offering ministry leaders training and growth that fits into their busy schedules.
• A Model Ministry: A Model Ministry is a registered non-profit organization specializing in safety education, policy writing, and risk assessment to mitigate child sexual abuse in ministry organizations.
• The Gardner-Webb School of Divinity: The Gardner-Webb University School of Divinity aims to equip, nurture, encourage, and support men and women for their very best service in the Kingdom of God.
• The NRSV, Update Edition from Zondervan: Explore the depth and beauty of Scripture with the NRSV, Updated Edition. With revisions based on new textual evidence, historical insights, and linguistic precision, this updated edition of the NRSV delivers a translation of Scripture based on meticulous care for accuracy and readability.

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Andy Hale is the creator and host of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Podcast. Hale is the Associate Executive Coordinator of CBF North Carolina. He’s also served as CBF’s Church Start Specialist, the founding pastor of Mosaic Church of Clayton, and the senior pastor of University Baptist Church of Baton Rouge. Follow on Twitter @haleandy.