Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-15
UNCLE SAM has an annual sick
bill" of more than $4,000. 0o0,-
zoo. and when the time comes
4 - ,,.nnA AZ h. HANDS n,.n,.

$i2o.o0o.0o0 of the payment Il
that smooth spoken menace 10 publ
health. the "ouack'
The old boy has tough time OF
when Il comes to his health, and whHl
he gets headache or a pain In som
other part of his anatomy he is not a
ali chary about his choice of doctors,
His preference, of course. is the col
icge-bled licensed medical practitione
Of the old school, but If the pain doeSn'
stop right away he is Just as likely Z
Of the suave gentleman with the mount
ing bank roll,
The size of the bills that come Il
your ailing Uncle each year from doc
tors. dentists, hospitals, nurses ans
drug stores is enough to give well MAJ
o throbbing headache.
Think of It! Three quarters of bill
lion dollars to be paid responsible physi'
clans, slightly less than that amount t
be set aside for medicine and supplies
four hundred millions needed for the
hospital bill, nearly three hundred mil
lions due the dentists. one hundred anc
fifty millions for the nurses and one
hundred and twenty millions for the
''QuackS."
Billion Wage Loss.
That is not ALL When he is laid up
with colds. the lumbago or any Of his
MANY other ailments n suffers loss
Of wages totaling In year more than
q billion dollars.
These are some of the interesting
fscts uncovered BY DR.. Homer Folks of
New York City. who is secretary of the
Stpte Charities Aid Association OF New
N-crk and a member of the Public Health
Council of the State of New York. DR..
Folks reached his conclusions after a
comprehensive investigation of Amer
ica's health situation and he has out
lined them in notable report submit
ted a day or so ago to the health sec
ton Of the international Conference OF
Social Work IN Paris
The fifteen billion dollar bill for sick
ness meted out each year to the Amer
tc,n people is borne almost wholly b.
the patients and their families, DR..
Felix's declared. To be more specific,
more than % per cent of the cost falls
unon the individual or the home circle.
The remainder is met by public or pri-
vate agencies.
An astounding phase of Americas
hralth problem. DR.. Folks found is the
fart that the United States Is spending
only about $4,000 900 year for the
prevention Of illness.
Pittance for Prevention.
"Of all the moneys expended and
earnings sacrificed in connection with
illness" he pointed out. ''99i2 per cent
gles for the care of the sick and for lost
earnings and only = OF / per cent for
the prevention of sickness. The amount
suen- for health by both public authori-
ties and urivate agencies Is c-1ly drop
IN the bucket COMPARED VII the stu
rsndous losses which still occur through
Illness"
DR., Folks estimated the total costs OF
ell kinds up to the date Of recovery or
death of the sick persons at s3.729.925.-
zee. or $3l OBJ per capita per annum. or
si346S per family.
The total loss of future net earnings
Of persons dying prematurely from III
ness he placed at ST.. 000, 900 900. bring
ing the gross total OF costs TO the Ma
ten to SIS. 72s. e25. 1896 This is equiva-
lent to an annual loss of sl3i per
capita, or s56T33 per family.
He found that s3.3 per cent of the
trial costs of illness. including costs TO
the date of recovery or death, and losses
from the sacrifice of future earning
power were borne by the patients or
their families. the total cost to them in
a year being sI4.75i .548, 500. He esti-
mated the proportion Of costs distrib-
uted among larger groups, or the entire
by taxation, contributions.
insurance, ETC., which In some degree
assist people of small means to meet
some OF the cost of sickness, at only
g. per cent, or 5,376. 78I.
The costs of sickness in the United
States are vastly greater than most per-
sons have currently supposed. and con-
stitute truly formidable drain on the
rational income" said Or. FOLKS.
There has been conscious effort TO
establish governmental agencies or sys-
TENS for the distribution of the costs of
sickness. and very little voluntary effort
directed specifically to this end. Speak
ing broadly, the costs Of sickness are
horne by the sick people and their FAM
lies, in harmony with the predominant
system of indiyidualisfn and Of a min
iSnun1 of governmental action. which Is
the prevailing social policy in the United
States"
Estimated Cost Of Sickness.
Dr. Folks. giving data on how each
item was arrived at, gave the following
estimates Of the costs Of sickness:
J. Expenditures for physiei-
Expenditures for ouscks :. iso.ooo.eoo
Z Expenditures for dispense
Expenditures for hospital
eare in patients homes isl.s0o,e0o
medical supplies. etc. ''.. 7oo.Ooo.oOO
y Expenditures for dental - o.
Les Of wages during illness SSs SSs
Ct illness .. - 1870. 7s.2so.oOo
q future WAGES -. '' ss.72s.92s 1876
mas on account Of prerns-
tare death due to fitness, 1900. 900. 900
IL. Reduced earnings due TO
sli9ht Illness mot meas
Craha total Of estimated
costs 81 illness to the peo-
pie Of the United states
per ahnlm ...-....s.-.. 3D. 1z9.J25 1886
AS no comprehensive data are avail
sble in any one place bearing on his
subject DR.. Folk based his estimates
Of costs and distribution upon studies
In many States, localities and sur
veyS. He discussed in detail the va
rious items entering into the costs OF
dealing with sickness.
As 70 the amounts expended for So
called medical service by oiiacks, we
are even more In the dark. All told, the
estimate Of 10000. or one 10 each rs
physicians. would seem To me a reason.
able one 10 cover the entire group Of
unqualified. unlicensed and non-medi.
cal practitioners. 50 called. Of the heal.
ing art ! place their average income
at $1,000 per year. or an estimated tota
expenditure for this sort of attention
of 3izo 900 600. which would be an aV'
ersge OF 81 per capita, or $3.50 pei
family, as compared with 1921 pei
capita and $3.50 per family for au
thorlzed physicians"
Cost Of Medical Service.
Discussing the cost Of medical car
by physicians in private practice, Df
Folks said: We may put IT down. as I
reasonable estimate, that the 100. 900 90
people in the United States Of Americi
nj the f3fesNfat time are extending an