Evening star., 1937-12-03
ACTION TO SET UP
NEW HEALTH UNIT
|. HERE IS DEFERRED
Committee Votes to Wait
Ruling on Group Fought by
Medical Society,".
ADVANTAGE OF CLINIC
IS CITED BY LEADER
Adequate Care for Members and
Higher Return for Physicians
Declared Possible.
BY HAROLD b. ROGERS.

BY HAROLD b. ROGERS.
Deciding to defer definite establish
ment of new cooperative associa-
ton for medical care" until the legal
aspects of Group Health Association,
Inc, are cleared up, the Committee
for Cooperative Medical Service for
Federal Employees went forward today
with study of various aspects of its
problem, through several subcommit-
tees looking toward future develop
ments.
Action to defer setting up the new
cooperative unit was taken late yes
terday at special meeting of the
Steering Committee" of the general
group.
Today leaders of several subcom-
mlttees went forward with a study
especially of the legal aspects of the
light in which Group Health Associa-
ton. for Federal Home Loan Bank
Board employees, is involved.
Cooperative Plan Outlined.
The difficulty into which Grou,
Health Association has become in
volved through expenditure of Gov
eminent funds, which has been criti-
cized by Senators McCarran and Kinp.
would be avoided by the new organi-
zatlon, 1t was explained today by A. c.
EDWARDS, committee secretary, through
the process of making the new clinic
cooperative, for the benefit of it,
founders, and without participation b.
any part of the Government Itself.
Many of us don't believe in the
Government putting up any money for
this project, so long as the Federal
workers can pay for the service on
the prepayment plan themselves"
said Mr.. Edwards.
We have had very little difficulty
in getting people interested In our
new project" he explained. land We
1eel that when the legal status of
Group Health Association is estab-
lshed We can then proceed to set up
our clinic under cooperative system.
according to a program acceptable to
authorities here in the District, SO
mat 1t can go forward to the success
achieved by certain other outstanding
cnnlcs in other parts of the country"
Senator McCarran indicated TO-DAY
ne would have no objection to the
proposed new cooperative association
for medical care providing they did
not ask for the use of Government
funds.
Senator McCarrans objection to
the Group Health Association for
agencies of the Federal Home Loan
Board was based on his fear that the
G. H. A. may be using Government
funds, appropriated for another pur-
pose, in an unauthorized manner.
Senator McCarran called on officials
OF the Federal Home Loan Bank
Board to explain the status of G H. A
and the use of Government money
for it.
Advantages Are Cited.
With large clientele drawn from
many parts of the Government, those
behind the proposed cooperative be-
lieve sufficient funds could be raised
to recruit large enough staff of
physicians and surgeons to furnish
adequate medical care on high
standard of medical practice and at
the same time pay the doctors at
a higher scale than the average of
private practitioners here in Wash
ington.
Such cooperative could be set
up. its proponents believe, so that It
might even be enlarged to take into
membership large groups of employees
OF private business establishments
here in the city, should they desire
to join.
The District Medical Society IS
continuing its fight against Group
Health Association, whose case now IS
before the corporation counsel. FL
wood H. Seal. Charges that the
Group Health Association is practic-
ing medicine as corporation, or that
it is engaged in the insurance busi-
ness are both denied fatty by Group
Health Association.
Meantime the Committee for Co.
operative Medical Service for Federal
Employees has set up several subcom-
mittees. including among its most
important ones, legal committee, a
medical service committee and
sponsors committee
The group is headed by DR.. Paul
M. Pearson, formerly Governor of the
Virgin Islands.