Evening star., 1932-12-07

After considering the problem Tor five
years, the Committee on the Cost Of
Medical Care has submitted majority
and minority reports, showing wide di-
vergence Of opinions among the MEM
bers, and promising q national contro-
versy Of large proportions. The COM
mite, Is headed by Secretary Ray Ly-
man Wilbur Of the Department Of the
Interior and Is made up of 4S experts
representing private medical practice,
institutional and special interests, pub
Lie health service, the social sciences
and the public. The majority report
Is criticized by the Journal Of the
American Medical Association.
The formula offered by the majority
Is: "The committee recommends that
medical service, both preventive and
therapeutic. should be furnished large
ly by organized groups OF physicians,
dentists, nurses, pharmacists and other
associated personnel. Such groups
should be organized, preferably around
hospital, for rendering complete home.
Office and hospital care. The form Of
organization should encourage the
maintenance Of high standards and the
development or preservation Of per-
sonal relation between patient and ply
sician. The committee recommends
that the costs Of medical care be placed
on group payment basis, through the
use Of insurance, through the use Of
taxation, or through the use Of both
these methods. This Is not meant to
preclude the continuation of medical
service provided ON an individual fee
method"
The chief minority report advises:
That Government competition in the
practice Of medicine be discontinued.
That Government care Of the INDECENT
be expanded to relieve the medical pro-
fession. That united attempts be made
70 restore the general practitioner to
the central place In medical practice.
That the corporate q. e., organized)
practice OF medicine be opposed as In
imical to high quality or productive of
unfair exploitation Of the medical pro-
fession."
Commenting on the opposition shown
by some members Of the profession, the
Dayton Daily News asks: Does the
medical profession plan to stand pat
ON the situation as It now stands-a
combination Of idle doctors and un-
treated sick? It can say In its defense
that this Is only the situation prevail.
ing In all fields. We have wheat sur
pluses and hungry people, coal sur
pruses pnd s.sad sd cold people wool surplusss
Of physicians and untreated sick peo-
pie? The problem of the cost of medi-
cal care Is, In brief, the problem of the
cost OF everything: It Is an aspect Of
the general problem Of sickness, q sick
society and o sick people"
"Dr. Wilbur, chairman, is on solid
ground" says the Newark Evening
News, when he asserts that the pro-
fession u destined to accept commu-
nifty organization Of medical service,
whether it likes the idea or not, and
the reason why that Is so was cogently
70 the committee, saying that too many
are postponing or. going without need
ed medical attention because Of its cost
and their unwillingness to accept It on
charity basis" The Boise Idaho
Statesman quotes statement by Presi-
dent Hoover, commanding % careful
study OF this report, to the professional
and community leaders throughout the
United States" and that paper adds
that he might have added that It is
gratifying to know the medical men
themselves are taking the initiative In
the matter" The Houston Chronicle
sees the possibility OF 70 revolutionized
health regime In the United States"
and asserts that "the unadorned fact is
that unless an early improvement IN
the situation IS brought about under
the present system. public opinion VIII