Evening star., 1933-07-27
GROUP HOSPITAL
CARE PLAN To Be
PUSHED FORWARD
Committee Estimates Serv-
ice Can Be Started Low
as IS Cents a Month.
STUDY WILL BE MADE
IN OTHER MAJOR CITIES
Some Time to Be Required to Get
Project Working With In
stitutions Here.

Group disqualification for Washing
tonians was one step nearer reality to-
day after a meeting last night when
the committee studying the plan for
the past four months voted to go for
ward with it and made. definite ar
rangements for carrying out the scheme.
few months must elapse before
all negotiations are completed. but lead
ers in the movement were confident
today of success
Under the plan, all employed per-
sons subscribing sum, perhaps as low
as IS cents a month, would be entitled
to three weeks care in any of the
hospitals cooperating in the move
ment. The institutions represented in
the discussions have been Columbia,
Emergency. Episcopal, Georgetown,
George Washington, Providence. Sib-
ley, Garfield and Homeopathic.
Will Form Corporation.
As soon as a majority of these ac-
cept the disqualification plan, a cor
poration will be set up by a commit
tee Of nine, to be appointed by Joseph
H. Hines. chairman of the general
group disqualification Committee. Mr.
Hines Is a former Representative from
Ohio and president of Columbia Hos
pital.
E. ]. Henryson, secretary of the COM
mite, will leave next week to visit a
number of major cities and study how
the plan is worked out there On his
itinerary are Newark, N. j.; New York
City. Chicago. Cleveland and Minneap-
oils.
Mr.. Hines said funds necessary for
launching the project have been as
sured and Immediately upon incorpora-
will begin. There will be no individual
canvassing, he explained, since such
method is too costly.
The organization will be non-proflt
making and separate from all existing
social agencies, although the movement
was first sponsored here by the Council
Of Social Agencies.
Reaction Is Favorable.
The present committee has contacted
virtually every class of employed per-
SUI Ill Illc Olsti1ce oIio, MI. f1A!heo ooio'
the reaction has been uniformly favor
able It is figured that between 2,5oc
and 5000 persons must subscribe before
the plan is put into operation.
Under the scheme outlined last night.
the subscriber would be furnished q
days care In each contract year, but
such care must not necessarily be con-
tinuous. Additional hospital care in
excess of 81 days will be furnished at
a discount of Is per cent from the
regular hospital charges for similar ac-
commodations.
When admitted to hospital, q sub
scriber shall be entitled to occupy a
bed In a private or semi-private room.
Hospital care will include bed, board,
general nursing, use of the operating
room, surgical dressings. ordinary medi-
cations, routine laboratory exanina-
tionS and other customary routine care.
Obstetrical cases will be taken after
the first 10 months of the existence OF
the contract with any subscriber.
Would Not Include Doctor.
The benefits will not include services
for the attending physician or surgeon,
anesthetist, special nurses or their
board. Hospital care will not be pro-
vided for pulmonary tuberculosis, acute
venereal diseases, quarantinable dis
eases, alcoholic or drug addict cases,
mental or nervous disorders. or cases
which come under the provisions Of the
workmen's compensation law.
The plan will mean much to workers
here, Mr.. Hines declared. THE very
rich man can buy his needed care and
the very poor man is given free care"
he continued, but the average man is
the one who has been left worrying
over his hospital care. 1t is about time
that some one begins to think of the
average man-there are many more Of
him than of the very rich or the very
poor. This plan IS framed for him, and
under 1t he can purchase hospital care
he needs at a price he can afford to
pay. If the plan goes through, he will
not need to worry about his hospital
bills. He will know that for small
monthly payment he may be assured
hospital care"
For furnishing care for subscribers
the hospitals will be compensated $3.50
to 81 per patient day.
In working out the plan, a group,
headed by Dr. Francis j. Eisenman OF
Garfield Hospital, has made exhaustive
research into the records of all Wash
ington hospitals and the fee to SUBJ
scribers has been based on figures
compiled.
Has Contacted Employers.
Another subgroup, headed by Walter
B. Clarkson, vice president of the Chesa-
peake & Potomac Telephone Co., has
contacted employers and employees OF
the District.
DR.. S. B. Ragsdale Of Columbia Hos
pital, was chairman of the group which
drew up provisions of the contracts to
be offered subscribers SzS hospitals.
DR.. Charles Stanley White, well
known surgeon, headed the subcommit-
tee which has been enlisting the sup
port of the medical profession.
All these subcommittee met last
night and presented their reports.
Mr.. Hines stressed the fact that
group disqualification has been found
practicable in many cities and many
other cities are about to introduce it.
The benefits offered here, he told the
meeting last night, compare very
despite the fact that the rate of hos
pitalization in Washington Is consider
ably above the average.
Members OF Committee.
The members of the committee con-
sist of the following: Joseph H. Hines,
chairman; E. j. Henryson, secretary;
Henry p. Blair, Herbert D. Brown, Pow
ell Browning, Calvert e. Buck, Walter
B. Clarkson, DR.. Charles s. Cole Mrs
Elizabeth Coleman, William S. Corby
Surg. Gen. H. S. Cummings, DR.. j. B
G. Gusts, DR.. F. j. Eisenman, Mrs.
Joshua Evans, jr.; DR.. N. A. Fowler,
Admiral Cary T. Grayson, Gen. Frank
T. Hines, Mark Lansburgh, DR.. E. B.
Mckinley. Sister Mary Clare, Sister