Evening star., 1932-11-30
Socializing Medical Care.

A majority of the Committee on the
Costs of Medical Care, according to .
final report filed yesterday, recon-
mends the socialization Of medical serv-
ice. To say that the suggestion is revo-
lutionary Is to make but q mild state
ment Of the fact. But 1t does net imply
the absolute sociahAtion Of medicine.
That. obviously, Is impossible to con-
template.
Clear understanding Of exactly what
the majority OF the committee desires
Is imperative. In summary 1t amounts
to this: A group practice and . system
Of group payment would be established
with community medical centers to
provide complete medical service, both
preventive and therapeutic The work
would be financed by weekly or monthly
fees, in the form Of insurance, taxation,
or both. The poor and needy would be
assured medical attention at cost. The
scheme, Its friends declare, would pro
vide for the first time a scientific basis
on which communities Throughout the
country Could attack the perplexing
problem Of providing adequate medical
care for all persons. at costs within
their means"
Granted that conditions as they are
1t present do not merit the unqualified
approval d the public, and granted that
there Is room for vast improvement, the
natural question 10 whether or not
this one problem should be separated
from all others and organized and pro-
tected under State or Federal supervi-
sion. The plan suggested by the ma
tortty Of the committee could not be
placed In effect without Government
aid. That fact cannot Be evaded. It
signifies . kind Of public ownership"
Of medical service. It II in agreement
with tenet OF the philosophy ot 30
cialism. That means that there would
be's danger of political interference
II 1t succeeded, it would do 20 In spite
Of ats political connotation. The notion
that Government control would end all
difficulties ID unscientific.
Medical care IL but one OF the many
problems Of the people. Food, rent,
clothing, fuel. In the order mentioned,
also concern them. If 1t Be proper to
socialize the one. it follows that it must
b proper to socialise the others. The
American people in 1928 spent 3,647
millions Of dollars to employ physicians,
nurses and dentists, to pay hospital
bills and to buy drugs and medi-
cines Of various kinds. That is a pro-
disious sum OF money, but it Is only =
fourth Of the total spent for food. The
majority Of the committee does not
suppose that the people would spend less
for health under their scheme than
they now are spending. To do 50 would
be illogical. Actually, an increase could
be expected. Under the new plan the
number Of patients would be larger
Hence the cost would be greater. True,
the expense would be assumed by the
whole people and the direct benefi-
Charles Of the scheme would pay only
II. as and when they could OF course
the plan is beautifully idealistic, but
why not expand 1t TO include all the
other things about which the poor are
worried7 Why not socialize food and
clothing, rent and fuel? Why moi
sociaize education? why not sociahse
the lawyers? Why not sociahze the
clergy? Let there be no mistake about
it: II sociahzation Of medical care il
right and just, wise and useful, then
by the same logic. . general socialisa-
ton of life likewise is defensible.
The report Is published at a moment
when the people are discouraged. II
comes as q fruit Of the depression. II
may be right and 1t may be wrong
In either case, it Is entitled to study
But such examination ought to be un.
prejudiced. There are two hdes to thu
whole subject, and both should Be con.
sidersd. 1t should not be forgotten
that the American people are tbs
healthiest people In the world and that
their ordinary state OF wellbeing, cul.
ture and prosperity was achieved unde,
what is tradirionally known ~ tn,
American system Of civilization, NO
the MARKHAM system.