Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1920-07-14
State Charities
Continued from Page Ohe)

child welfare organizations wherever
and whenever such are available. The
need for special appropriations for
children's homes and home finding
societies therefore no longer exists.
The money heretofore granted to in
corporated institutions and societies
should be added to the general appro-
priation for board and care Of neglect
ed children, also dependent children.
under the general law, and the State
thus be enabled to utilize those in
situations and organizations which
are prepared to render the best serv-
ice for the least money.
Hospitals
The local community should help
itself and not throw the whole bur-
den upon the State. therefore
the States contribution must be
limited. The State as whole
should help the local commun-
ity, thus making a more even
distribution of the burden. These
are well established principles, not
only in our own laws-as witness our
highway laws. our school laws, our
health laws, our mothers aid and
neglected childrens lawsuit also in
the laws of other states and Of the
United States.
The only way this mutually is now
accomplished is by the State appro-
priation to a limited number of
specified hospitals of different de-
grees of excellence, in whose welfare
the interest of the local community
varies from practically nothing to
generous gifts of individuals and in
/ come from liberal endowments. The
| local community should be allowed to
express itself either in this way or
through local taxation and united
| community action, or in both ways
as it may prefer.
Therefore, both as health and
social welfare measure. the enact
| ment of general statute is recon-
mended. to provide for and govern
payments of a general appropriation
for the care ands treatment, in hos
: pitfalls not owned or controlled by the
State, of persons unable to pay fol-
! the same. Such a statute should pro-
vide substantially as follows:
! 1. Hospitals Entitled: Within the
limitation of the appropriation made
therefor by the legislature, any
| municipal hospital, and any hospital
incorporated as a charitable organi-
! zation, whose standards Of care are
| approved by the State Commissioners
of Health and whose rates of charge
to the general public and methods OF
| investigation as to the inability of the
patient to pay for necessary care and
treatment are approved by the State
Board of Charities and Corrections
the State for medical and surgical
care and services rendered to persons
| unable to pay for the same, upon the
following conditions:
2. Rates: The rates Of compensa
ton allowed by the State to be fixed
from time to time, as occasion arises
by the State Committee on Budget
Such rates to be uniform for all hos
pitfalls entitled. The rate per day for
board and general care not to exceed
CD per cent (fifty per cent is sug-
geste0 Of the average daily per cap
| ita cost, for the preceding fiscal year
of all hospitals qualifying for com
pensation as specified in paragraph
! numbered /. The rate Of compensa-
ton for use of operating rooms, X
ray machines. ETC., to be such as the
Committee on Budget may deem just
| and proper.
8. Bills: Itemized bills to be re-
| quired, as now, but the limitation as
to maximum and minimum rates OF
charge and the filing Of evidence OF
inability Of the patient to pay now
required by Chapter ia. P. L., 1917
to be superseded by the provisions OF
the preceding paragraphs numbered
l and 2.
4. Apportionment: Payments to
be made quarterly but only such bills
as are filed with the State auditor
] within thirty days after the end Of the
] quarter to be considered. Should the
| appropriation available for any given
| quarter prove to be insufficient to pay
all of the approved bills for that
quarter. then the auditor to be au-
thorized and required to apportion the
available appropriation among the
! several hospitals entitled in proper
ton to the value of the free service
rendered for which payment is
claimed and such apportionment to be
deemed payment in full Of alr claims
against the State for the quarterly
| period.
S. Community Contributions: Cities
and towns to be authorized to raise
or appropriate money to provide hos
pital treatment for persons residing
therein. who are unable to pay for the
| same. Such money to be expended
either in the maintenance Of a munic-
ipal hospital, or, where the city OF
town maintains no such institution
to supplement the State payments to
the hospitals described in the preced-
ing paragraphs for the care of resi-
dents Of said city or town, towns to
be required to provide for such pay
ment whenever the person cared fol-
is suffering from any communicable
disease, in which case the city or town
shall have same rights of recovery
from town Of settlement as for pauper
supplies. Persons SO assisted or cared
FOR not to be deemed paupers by rea
son OF having received such care or
assistance.
Special Institutions
l The children's Hospital should be