Evening star., 1938-08-16
.G,H, A. EXPANSION
PROGRAM TO Be
GIVEN MEMBERS
Meetings This Week to Get
Details of Growth Ideas
for Ratification.
$500 NEW MEMBERS
EXPECTED TO BE GOAL
Campaign Will Be Launched to
Raise 100000 for New
Hospital in Arlington.

AAooPANhA AZ 90 sAA6 SOAss
Full details of the proposed expans-
ion program of Group Health ASso-
citation. Inc, will be laid before
members of the organization at
series of meetings arranged for this
week.
Plans, announced late yesterday, call
for enlargement of membership from
$500 to $500, establishment OF a
new schedule of fees, repayment of
$40. 900 loaned by the Home Owners
Loan Corp, widening of the scope of
services and construction Of Group
Health Hospital on the estate pur-
chased last week from DR.. Richard
N. Sutton in Arlington County, Va.
The ambitious program was de-
scribed generally in mimeosraphed
letters sent to each member of the
association yesterday by William C.
Kirkpatrick. president. Ratification
of the proposals will be sought at the
special membership meetings within
the next few days, it was announced.
To Seek 100000.
A campaign will be launched to
raise 500, 900 toward the new hospital.
Donations will be sought not only from
members and prospective members. it
was stated, but from foundations, cor
porations and individuals interested in
suitable medical care for families
OF small and moderate means"
The hospital will be established at
Sutton Hall, large home of Dr. Sutton
near Old Dominion drive, not far from
the Washington Golf and Country
Club. The home will be remodeled to
provide for at least Is beds Later,
it was announced. larger hospital
will be built on ground just above
Sutton Hall.
Mr. Kirkpatrick said considerable
sum" already has been pledged toward
the project.
THE Medical Society has steadily
maintained pressure to prevent our
members from admission to hospitals
in the District of Columbia" said
MI. kirkpatrick in statement issued
at Group Health headquarters. AL
though the courts have held our Or
ganization legal. the opposition of the
Medical Society has not ceased, as
is evidenced by the injunction sought
by three of its members last week.
We have been forced to 60 ahead on
our own and are confident we will
succeed, knowing as we do that the
public and even great many members
of the Medical Society believe our
movement is an answer to the problem
OF adequate medical care"
Resolution Not Received.
Meanwhile. Community Chest off,
cials had not received by noon today
the resolution sent them by the We'll
fare Committee of the United Fed
eral Workers of America, asking the
Chest to use its influence to lift dis
criminatory practices in hospitals
here against G. H. A. members and
physicians.
Chest officials said, however, that
the Chest is powerless to do anything
in the matter, as emphasized in an
official statement by its Executive
Committee long ago. The Chest SIM
ply purchases service from the hos
pitals, it was pointed out.
The U. F. w. A. resolution charged
that hospitals of the city have been
obstructing and hampering the work
of G. H. A. by denying their facilities
to G. H. A. members" Pointing out
that the medical cooperative had
been found valid by the court, the
resolution asked the Chest to demand
of the District hospitals that members
of G. H. A. be permitted to use the
hospital facilities and the services of
Group Health physicians within the
hospitals
$40 Fee Proposed.
A $40 membership fee for G. H. A.,
payable in 81 monthly instalments,
was proposed in the letters sent out by
the board of trustees After this fee
has been paid, the member will be
given a certificate which, after two
years, may be transferred to any ac-
ceptable candidate for membership.
II member leaves the Federal service
or the District of Columbia his fee
will be recoverable.
New applicants will be charged fee
of IS, with 81 additional for each
dependent.
Present membership costs $2.2O for
single persons and $3.50 for families
The board recommended 1920 for sin
gle persons or heads of families, 81 80
for husband or wife of a member, 81
for one or more children under 18, 81
for esch child from 18 to 81 and
$500 for dependents over 81.
A 81 charge for the first house call
in an illness was recommended. It
was explained that while this will
produce little revenue, the chief
purpose is to avoid abuse of the house
call privilege. The board suggested