The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1921-09-23
The British Favor
Health Insurance

Harrisburg, Pa, Sept. 18.-In a
report to the Pennsylvania health
insurance commission, made pub
lie yesterday, on the results of an
official investigation into the OPP
Grafton of the British health in
surance act, William T. Ramsey,
chairman of the commission, and
Ordway Tead, expert, set forth the
conclusion that workmens health
insurance in England has proved
"a distinctly forward step in social
legislation" and that British eX-
periments "can and should be used
as the basis for wiser measures
designed specially to meet Ameri-
can conditions and needs"
Chairman Ramsey and Mr. Tead,
in the course of a field inquiry in
England, interviewed over 80 rep
resentative persons, including gov
eminent officials, employers, union
officials, commercial insurance COM
pany officials, insured workers and
doctors. Opinion of all groups was
favorable, and those cited to the
Investigators by American critics
as opposed were found to be against
details only, while approving the
act as a whole.
"The health insurance act has
unquestionably leveled up the stand
ard of medical service which is Civ
en- in England" the report asserts.
In statement issued in connec-
tion with the report, Dean William
Draper Lewis of Philadelphia, men,
Der of the commission, declares that
the findings with respect to the
British health insurance act con-
stitute "the one piece of work done
by the Commission which is of en-
during value"
Contrary to widely circulated re-
ports in America, the report states,
British doctors are now as whole
in favor of the act. at has brought
degree of economic independence
in the profession which is unpre-
cedented," says the report, land
has served as a spur to better work
manship and to the enlistment in
the profession of more young men
and women than the medical schools
have ever before had"
American proposals for health in
surance laws by providing for the
full cooperation, and advice of
doctors without permitting dictation
have, according to the report, given
heed to a warning out of British
experience.
at will be serious mistake"
says the report, ITO allow those
who are accustomed to think that
they have a vested interest in i'll
health to dictate how much or how
ity shall provide for itself on
public and universal basis. When
basic policies are being determined
the experts should be on tab but
not on top"
The report asserts that "hun-
dreds of thousands of persons under
the British Act, it is universally
agreed, seek medical advice now who
would not have afforded it before;
and they seek it promptly. They seek
it, as the doctors told US, at a stage
when the length and seriousness of
the illness can usually be reduced"
Among the outstanding advant-
ages of the British act, the report
finds, is the impetus it has given
to more extensive and better ad-
ministered public health program.
Workmen's health insurance legis-
lation for America, the report con-
cludes, should include medical and
institutional service freely available
for all employed persons and for
their families, with cash benefits
for physically incapacitated workers
out of fund created by joint con-
tributions"