Ethical analysis of health care reform: implications for diverse communities

The values driving nursing's political actions and the ethics underlying proposed health system change have not yet been thoroughly examined. This article attempts to (a) clarify ethical issues surrounding the health care debate in the United States, (b) describe the conflicts surrounding proposed reform especially the effects on disadvantaged communities and (c) earnestly entreat a critical discussion of nursing's humanistic position on health care reform. The interaction between the nursing literature and the various proposals on health care reform suggest various themes that reflect ethical issues due to conflicts in values. Our analysis is based on the belief that, in addition to political action and lobbying, the nursing community must confront critical questions about the values driving its policy making.