Vision Forum's Baby Conference: Symposium on the Future of Healthcare in America Summary (part 1)
I enjoyed the great privilege of attending the Baby Conference last week. Here are some notes from an important panel discussion regarding the future of health care in America.Wesley Strackbein, Vision Forum Employee and Panel Moderator
We must, first, understand the times (I Chron. 12:32). The church, generally, has responded to changes in technology, government policy, and so forth, impotently. We have allowed secularists, God-haters, and a brave new world vision, to define the issues. We are in the back seat rather than taking the lead. We realize God is sovereign, but as His representatives on earth, we are expected to obey. The first step is to understand the times.
Secondly, we must have an answer to give (II Pet. 3:15). We are to be always ready with answers that we find in God’s Word. A key presupposition is biblical sufficiency (II Tim. 3:16). Many Christians can see the problem, know they need to give an answer, but don’t think the Bible has the complete answer. We can’t just give any answer, but an answer founded upon Scripture. Proverbs 21:30 shows us that apart from God’s Word, our intentions will come up short.
Thirdly, we must show moral courage and follow God’s Word (Prov. 7:2). Anthony Comstock, a courageous defender of moral order in his day, said, “Give me a man who dares to do right and one ready at all times to discharge his duty to the community and to God.” He saw a problem and was a faithful Christian to confront it. He stood with courage against evil times.
We are entering a perfect storm, which is a simultaneous occurrence of weather events that are more powerful because of their combination. Factors include:
- Social Security Act of 1935
- FDA approval of the pill in 1960
- Social Security Amendments of 1965: Medicare and Medicaid
- Medicare Prescription Reform of 2003
- Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010
Phillip Longman said the ongoing decline of birth rates is the biggest trend affecting 21st century societies. Robert Samuelson said the boomers are retiring, which will strain the system. Longman points to debt, people looking to pets that will be of no avail to care for them, and other dire cultural trends. WorldNetDaily recently reported that health care rationing is coming, as Obama appointed a health care czar who is in favor of redistribution and rationing. Berwick said rationing is inescapable, so the key is to do it “with our eyes open.”
We have made choices to have the government provide for our needs and not to have children, so the system will go bankrupt. The system is going to blow up. The Bible says the fear of the Lord is strong confidence, so we have to fear Him and act with humility. Don’t cower, but look for answers. In the years of plenty of Joseph’s day, they prepared. What can we do as families and the church? There is an unprecedented evangelism opportunity. In terms of I Timothy 5:8, we must provide for our own. We must have a plan and solutions. The elderly will be most affected by the crisis, but it will affect everyone. Don’t let the NY Times editorial page define the issues. Lead the charge.Think about your own family’s needs first. Secondly, think about your grandparents.
What if … God is giving us this opportunity to take cultural leadership and evangelize our country and the nations as never before? The countries of Europe are even a few years ahead of us. We must not cower back but must take leadership. We can out-give the world. Look for VF to work on putting together resources regarding the crisis and solutions ahead.
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James Lansberry, Vice President of Samaritan Ministries
Wesley just gave us the good news. As we look forward, we see a ticking time-bomb. Medicare is underfunded to the tune of $80 trillion. We set up a system that was never designed to be able to take care of all needs of our elderly for the rest of their lives, and now we have technologies to make their lives longer. Because government pays for about all of it, costs have skyrocketed. From an economic and political, rather than medical standpoint, we have to say that the church has dropped the ball with regard to healthcare. In 1965 the church abdicated charitable care to the government. Rent-seeking politicians can now seek their own profit in a system that was never designed to provide charity.
Charity can never be provided by government but is always voluntary. The government can only steal. Anytime the government does anything it will always become politicized. The government pays out to the politically correct and politically connected.
Last year we exacerbated the problem with the “protection and care act,” which is a misnomer. The provisions drive costs up. One of the most dangerous aspects is that all preventative care has zero co-pays. The costs will only go up drastically. Health care will become more and more expensive and controlled over the next 20 years.
We have to look forward into the future, and we can say a few things with nearly absolute certainty: Health care will become more expensive, Medicare will turn down people in need, and there will be many more in need of the Gospel. Medical missions in the US need to become a priority before the baby boomers peak and the system collapses. We have to get ready with funds, personnel, and charity. Our parents and grandparents will have claims denied, and the government will not keep its promises.
The solution: Do not tax people further. It is impossible and wrong to try to make the system work. It is wrong to rob to provide charity. We need to make great sacrifices of our own desires to have the funds, personnel, and time, to reach out to those who are struggling around us. We need young men who are chemists to produce helpful medicines, doctors to provide charitable services, and charity in our churches. We will be able to help those in our community who have nowhere else to turn.
Medicare and Medicaid still exist because we have refused to do what we should. Churches send their members to the state for funds. Christ’s church is sending its children to leviathan. We are defaming His name. We need to place charity as a huge priority.
The issue is not funding or people. The problem, the biggest obstacle, is that when we begin to do what God tells us to do, no one will come and we will lose. People will go down the street to government rather than facing Christ. We will have to put the pieces in place, and just patiently wait for the government to fail. We will then have the opportunity to provide the face of Christ to the poor, sick, elderly, and infirm. The government will have to stop taking people for treatment.
We see glimpses of government failure, e.g., Katrina. Wal-Mart figured out how to get water to refugees when the government miserably and utterly failed.
We know the story of the Samaritan who provided two denari for the innkeeper, which was 40% of a week’s pay, without even thinking about it. We should have money ready for use when needs come along. We don’t know when someone will need us. Our “neighbor” might be someone we have not yet met. It is someone we meet face-to-face with a legitimate need, whom we can help with the Gospel. When we help someone with a legitimate need, they come face-to-face with the Savior. The church will then blossom as we love the needy. We have to put our house in order and be ready.
The patient care act will fund abortion and create tremendous problems. The bright spot is that we can still use medical sharing organizations as exemptions from the individual mandate. Most insurance companies already pay for abortions, not just when the mother’s life is in danger either, and the bill forces all insurance companies to pay for abortion. There will be no other option.
Think about how to pursue godliness in the health care arena. It will mean volunteering in clinics and teaching children. It will mean being realistic about what is out there and what is not. Think about your own long-term care. If you are under 40, Medicare will definitely not be there. If you are not 70 or older, Medicare will likely collapse during your lifetime. We must look at charity with faith and liberty in mind. Otherwise, we won’t be able to solve the problems. Even if the GOP repeals the act, it doesn’t change the insolvency collision course. They are not going to cut prescription benefits or Medicare. Seniors vote. No matter who is in power, it will get worse. Our only hope can be in Christ. He will work through us, His church, for His glory.
posted by C.S. Hayden @ 5:40 PM
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