STUNNED

Driving away from the medical supply place, I was STUNNED.  I had a small sack with one CPAP mask, one replacement rubber snap-in thingy, one piece of black foam (1"x1.75"), and two paper filters.

Cost?  Four hundred and fifty bucks.

If THAT is not the most perfect picture of "healthcare costs gone wild".

Our private insurance paid, but how can costs like that ever come down as long as the government is involved?  Do we not get it that there is no free lunch?  I may not have paid that day, but I'm paying and so are you.

Some may think the government is the answer.  We've tried that...and government is the problem.

Yesterday we were in a conversation about statistics that record the most liberal among us tend to be the most conservative in giving.  Why is that?  Well, they feel like they're already giving to the government to take care of people who need help.  That's fine if you think your investment in government is a wise investment and they are running things well.  Here's another angle.

"The people called by My name" give the Lord their first fruits...and then they render to Caesar.  The Lord's ten percent is loving Him as He has asked and is just a beginning point.  Giving is not because He needs it, but because WE need it in order to be able to put money in perspective and faith in action and trust Him for the rest.  Plus, we feel like the money is targeted more specifically for good use.

Consider those who start with 10-20% to the Lord, and then add upwards of 40% to Caesar (for a combination of taxes except the sales tax)...and THEN they hear they're not paying their fair share.  Really?  A fair share like the thirty-six Obama aides who owe $833,000 in back taxes?  click

Medicare scams and Medicaid abuse are a ginormous problem, but set those aside.  Now we contend with our government's intent to spend for things the Christian cannot abide.  Last week HHS sent a letter to employers mandating insurance coverage for their employees.  To many (including Catholic employers), that would mean they were forced to pay for things that corrupt their faith...such as sterilization, contraception, and abortion-inducing drugs.  What are people of faith to do with that mandate?  Can they capitulate?  Catholic charities feed and care for millions!  If they fold, can we do without them?

It's true that people used to take care of people and now we ask government to handle it.  A topdown system is both inefficient and riddled with abuse; now "Caesar" is marching against conscience.  Can you even imagine if HHS decided to mandate that Muslims eat a BLT daily?  Now THERE would be an uproar.  Who is crying out for Christians?

These thoughts have morphed from the cost of medical supplies...to deeper subjects such as our "fair share" of taxes/governmental abuse of conscience.   And it all began with a CPAP.  No one is whining about paying taxes because we are grateful to live in the finest country in the world.  But government has no business in conscience-abuse and there HAS to be a more efficient way to run things.

If those respiratory items were put on the free market, they would find their true price.  And it wouldn't be even close to $450.