Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-15
Professional and Social Men
Meet to Report Progress
of Expense Study.
U. S. HEALTH BILL NOW
$1,000, 900, 900 YEARLY
Better Treatment Seen as Outcome
of Secretary's Plan to Aid
More Sick People.

Group financing for the organization,
administration and distribution Of bet
ter medical care to more people was
the suggestion put forward today at the
semi-annual meeting of the Committee
on the Cost Of Medical Care by its
chairman, DR.. Ray Lyman Wilbur,
Secretary of the Interior.
We lack SUFFICIENT facilities and or
ganiZation to meet the situation Of to-
day or Of the future" DR.. Wilbur de-
clared in his opening address at the
meeting at the Hotel Mayfower, which
was attended by SO leaders in the fields
of medicine, dentistry, public health,
economies and the social sciences, to
report on progress made in the f1ve-year
study of the problems involved in the
costs Of this service, which has run up
to $4,000, 100000 annually.
ut is our function to propose plans
that will be effective and that will meet
with popular and professional favor.
There is now much duplication and
waste Of time. effort and money. Or
ganization and proper administration
with group financing can distribute
better medical care to more people with
better returns to those who care for the
sick"
Plan Is Personal View.
group financing" vas put out as his
own personal view 1t was said, and rep
resents no formal action or opinion of
the committee.
We must not fear further expert
ments, some Of them of bold character"
Secr5 tary Wilbur said in referring to
this suggestion. Our people, rich and
poor, want the best of care when they
are sick. We must show them how
such care can be financed"
DR.. Wilbur did not suggest how this
idea Of group financing should be car
ried into effect, but he expressed the
belief that the benefits that would de-
rive from 1t would greatly enhance the
effectiveness Of the care OF the sick,
even within the present expenditures"
Will Study Proposal.
DR.. wilbur's suggestion probably will
be studied by the official committee,
organized in 1927 to probe the econom-
ic aspects of the prevention and care
of sickness, including the adequacy,
availability and compensation of the
persons and agencies involved"
The present widespread dislocation
between need and medical care can be
overcome largely" Secretary Wilbur
stated Certainly from a social stand
point, We we'll can afford to pay a larger
proportion Of our present annual in
come for the protection of health, both
public and private. With an expanded
national expenditure We should endeavor
to see that a larger proportion of 1t is
brought into the health service Of the
human being"
On the basis OF its flve-year studies
the committee eventually will formulate
concrete recommendations looking to-
ward organization and distribution Of
medical facilities to provide adequate
scientific care TO al people, rich and
poor, and to assure adequate returns to
those who furnish this care.
At todays meeting the group broke
up into five subcommittee to study
various phases.
OF chief public interest was the Ques-
ton to what extent payment for medi-
cal services should be based upon in
diyidual purchase or upon group pur-
chases.
Since estimates place annual medical
expenditures at $4,000, 600. 900, this ques-
ton involves others, such as payment
on an annual basis for all or certain
agreed services, the extension of INSTALL
ment payment Of bills to medical serv-
ice and the extent to which popular
education may induce individuals to
avail themselves more fully of existing
facilities. both preventive and curative.
Preventive Work Studied.
Consideration also was being given
to the methods Of group purchase and
the extension Of such methods This
involves the extent to which additional
services OF preventive character should
be furnished out Of the taxpayers
money Practically all preventive work
along organized lines, 1t was declared,
is now financed from public funds, in
GLIDING in its scope preventive meas
ureS for acute and chronic illness
among indigents. for practically all
mental disease cases and for most
cases Of tuberculosis
Sessions Of the committee will end
tomorrow. In addition to Secretary
Wilbur. its chairman, the executive
officers are DIR. c. e. A. Winslow Of
Yale University Medical School, vice
chairman: Winthrop w. Aldrich, presi-
dent of the Chase National Bank of
New York. treasurer, and DR.. Harry H.
Moore, director of studies. The Office
OF the last named Is in Washington.
The study has been under way for
three and one-han years, and by the
time 1t is concluded more than ST.
000, 900 will have been expended by the
philanthropic agencies financing it.