But I think your alternative, if it were allowed, would make a lot of sense and eliminate a lot of the stress--at least if we could completely separate the employer from the coverage. Instead of making a contribution to an insurance plan, let the company pay the employee an annual stipend that they can use for insurance. The employer is no longer obligated to pay for something that offends them, and the employees can then decide for themselves if they want a higher deductible but free contraceptives, or take a lower co-pay but buy their own day-after pills.

Unfortunately, that sort of personal freedom is no longer permitted. You can't just buy insurance. You must buy a government-approved plan...or accept punishment.

Your last sentence, though, got a little askew again. As has been acknowledged here by people on both sides of the argument, the company is not trying to "impose" its values on its employees. The employees are free to buy and use contraceptives. They won't be fired for having an abortion (as far as we know). The only entity imposing its values is the government, insisting that Hobby Lobby pay for what Mr. Obama thinks they should pay for.