Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-02-14
Maine LEGISLATURE Opens Seventh Week OF Session

made inmates of charitable or re-
formatory institutions when employed
for purposes of the institution, casual
emnloves and members of the family of
the employer not paid money wages,
also agents paid by commission or ices
and mainly dependent for hvehood
upon such earnings, shall be insured IN
a fund or society as PROVIDED In thls
act. The commission may also exempt
home workers, persons employed tenn
porarily for not over one week ana
members of religious societies en-
ployed in nursing, educational or other
activities of public benefit, VINO re-
ceive no money compensation. me
following persons may insure them
selves voluntarily: Sef-employed per-
sons, whose earnings do not exceed
500 a month on an average; persons
formerly compulsorily insured. who
within one year from the date on
which they ceased to be insured apply
for voluntary insurance: members of
the family OF The employer who work
in his establishment without wages.
The act provides that benefits shall
be paid or furnished in cases or SICK
mess or accident. or of death or disabil-
ity resulting therefrom except cases IN
which any liability for compensation
or other benefits is imposed by the
workmen's compensation law or IN
which liability for damages, compensa-
ton OF other benefits is imposed by
|any act of Congress.
According to the terms OF the act
every fund or society must provide for
its insured members as minimum bene-
fits medical, surgical, dental and nurs-
ing attendance and treatment; medi-
cineS and medical and surgical sup
plies. sickness benefit funeral benefit,
medical. surgical and nursing attend
lance and medicines and medical and
surgical supplies for dependent mem
bers of their families. The rights to
benefits except to maternity benefits
begins with the day of membership,
the maternity benefit shall be payable
to any woman insured against sickness
for at least nine months, during the II
months preceding the confinement to
the wife of any man so insured and as
respects confinement for child of her
husband to the widow of any man in
snred for at least nine months during
the II months preceding his death.
! All necessary medical, surgical and
nursing and treatment shall be furn-
ished by the fund or society to insured
persons and the dependent members of
their families from the first day of
sickness or the happening of an acct
dent provided notice has been given,
otherwise from the date of such no.
tice. In case of disability such at
tendance and treatment shall not be
| Fl tn
than 26 weeks of disability in any con-
SecutiVe II months. All dental SER
vices shall be furnished to the insured
by the fund or society In case the
fund or society is unable to furnish the
whole or any part OF the benefit pro-
vided it shall pay the cost of such SER
vice actually rendered by competent
persons at a rate approved by the
commission.
The fund or society subject to the
approval of the commission shall make
arrangements for medical and surgical
treatment and attendance by means OF
a panel of physicians from among
whom the patient shall have free
choice. Legally qualified physicians on
salary and in The employ of the fund
or society or legally qualified physi-
clans on salary and in the mploy of the
fund or society engaged in the treat
ment of insured persons and dependent
members of their families in prescribed
areas. hospital or sanitorium treatment
and maintenance shall be furnished
upon the approval of the medical Of
ficer of the fund or society instead of
; all other benefits, with the consent of
? the insured member or that of his fam
lily.
, Local medical committees including
in their membership local health Of
ficers, medical officers and an arbitra-
. ton committee are provided by the
, terms of the act
A sickness benefit equal to two
thirds of the weekly earnings of the in
p. sured person shall be paid beginning
with the 14th day of disability on ac-
count OF illness or accident. 1t shall
be paid only during the period of dis
ability and shall not be paid for more
/. than &c weeks on account of the same
case Of disability. This benefit shall
be paid to an insured woman swhen
disabled on account of pregnancy, eX-
cept that it shall not be paid to her
during the period when she is receiv-
ing cash maternity benefits. A sick
ness benefit equal to one-half of the
earnings of the insured persons shall
be paid to the dependent members of
his family if any, while he is in the
hospital or sanitorium, or while he re-
fuses to submit to such treatment for
each week he would otherwise have
been entitled to sickness benefit. Sick
ness benefits shall be paid weekly
where possible and in no case less fire.
quently than semi monthly. A funeral
benefit up to the amount of 800 is
provided for.
The full cost of insurance provided
by this act shall be borne by employ
ers, employees and the State in the fol-
lowing proportions: Employers, two
fifths: employees, two-fifths; and the
State one-fifth, except where the earn
ngs of injured persons are less than SO
a week. for which a special provision
is made.
The act divides the State into dis
tricts, no one of which shall contain
less than 5000 persons, subject to COM
pulsory insurance and provides for the
establishment of funds within these
districts, with committees and boards
of directors.
The act creates Health Insurance
Commission consisting of three COM
80 L.