, 1934-11-19

and OF Hygeia. the Health Magazine
Even those who are most eager to have some kind
Of sickness insurance in this country freely admit that
none Of the systems In use abroad would do here. One
reason is that Americans like to choose their own
doctors.
Many systems OF sickness insurance In foreign coun-
tries do not permit q man Ia choose the doctor he
wants. After all, the link between doctor and patient
is one Of the most intimate OF human relationships
One reason why American doctors have been op-
posing state control over medicine Is the likelihood
that II will interfere with this personal relationship.
American doctors are proud OF the service they have
been giving to the American people. Our sickness and
death rates are about as low as, II not lower than,
those OF most OF the large countries OF the world. An
investigation recently made BY the Bureau Of Eco
nomic OF the American Medical Association revealed
that there are few. II any. people in the United states
really suffering from lack OF medical care.
Another reason why American doctors are opposed
to sickness insurance is the fact that the quality Of
Of medical care rendered under such systems In for
eiEn countries Is far below the average care given In
this country.
In most OF these systems a doctor gets a list of
about 10000 to 1900 persons whom he Is supposed to
look after He gets 50 much a person each year. In
addition in many countries, he carries on his private
practices.
Now, doctors are only humanl BY the very nature
Of the circumstances. there Is a tendency to give less
attention TO those who come under the insurance sys-
tenn than to those who are directly responsible to the
doctor for payment.
The Germans say that insurance service is second
class. that the leading doctors will not do this kind Of
practice.
For this reason II is frequently found that even
patients who are on sickness insurance lists will 90 70
an outside doctor and pay his fee. when they think
anything is seriously wrong with them.
The tying up Of sickness insurance with unemploy-
ment insurance in some countries has multiplied the
evils tremendously. It has caused patients 10 come to
their doctor repeatedly for minor Illnesses Just to get
their unemployment benefits.
Thus. it is found that there is much more sickness
among persons who are insured than among those who
are not insured. Actually, there is really no more sick
ness than there was before.
Those who promote sickness insurance in this coun-
try insist that there Is an advantage in having the pa
tient see the doctor often, because then the doctor may
find disease in its earliest stages.
OF course. many doctors who practice under the in
surance systems take their work conscientiously and
try TO study their patients. But. II the people who
favor sickness insurance could produce figures to show
that the insurance doctors have detected q great many
more cases Of Brights disease, tuberculosis OF cancer
than are detected by doctors in this country, their
argument would be better.
On the other hand. the offices Of insurance doctors
are So crowded with people who have numerous minor
illnesses that the doctors lack the time Necessary 10
find the dieases Of serious nature in their early stages
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