I’m not one to define the word “family” to merely mean mom, dad, two kids, and a golden retriever. Families are often complicated – a beautiful mess, as they should be.

As the fundamental building block of society, the family deserves extra care in every important aspect of life. Including physical health.

If we tell some families they aren’t worthy of health insurance, we are prioritizing something else above the family. 

• Maybe we’re prioritizing wealth above the family: “If your family doesn’t make enough money, you don’t deserve the medical care you need.”
• Maybe we’re prioritizing the bottom line above the family: “If your family is so sick that you’re going to cost an insurance company a lot of money, we’ll let the insurance company cap your family’s yearly or lifetime expenses.”
• Maybe we’re prioritizing ideology above the family: “Just because every other industrialized country in the world has figured out how to guarantee health care for their nation’s families doesn’t mean that the American government should too.”

Honestly, it doesn’t really matter what we prioritize above the family. When we neglect the sanctity of the family in favor of something else, we have made a decision about our priorities.

You can help me honor the sanctity of the family. I can’t do it alone. Together, we will remind this country that the family is the fundamental unit of society.

Note: This article was originally published on DarleneMcDonald.com and was republished with permission.