Evening star., 1938-03-19
G. G.H.A.ALLY VOTES
TO ADMIT PUBLIC
AS FIGHT GROWS
Meeting Next Week Will
Launch Program of
Cooperative Group.
DISCRIMINATION LAID
TO MEDICAL SOCIETY
Expulsion of DR.. Scandifio Is Hit
by Kirkpatrick in New
Statement.

BACKGROUND
Group Health Association, Inc,
operating clinic at 1928 / street
NV, has been bone of contention
tnpolDtng charges of "socialised
medicine" and countercharges. 1t
furnishes medical care to about
5000 persons from rs Federal
agencies.
While Group Health Association
Inc, increased its counter-attack
against the District Medical Society,
the Committee for Cooperative Medi-
cal Service for Federal Employees, a
close ally Of G. H. A., today planned
to break out of the Government
ranks and admit the general public.
Decision to take this step, which
may be far-reaching in its effec. on
the battle between Group Health and
the forces of organized medicine, was
taken late yesterday at a special ses-
sion Of the Executive Committee OF
the Committee for Cooperative Medi-
cal Service.
Plans were made for public meet
ing next week, probably Thursday or
Friday. At this session, the place for
which is yet to be selected, the future
program. to build a District-wide
organization. will be discussed.
A. c. Edwards, secretary Of the
committee, explained that the action
was in response to pressure" from
the public to join the cooperative
medical service. The step was taken,
he explained, only after a survey had
been made by an investigator among
the largest establishments in Wash
ington outside the Government.
With one single exception, he re-
ported today, the survey had shown
that both employees and management
were in favor of joining.
Dispute on G. H. A. Spreads.
The committee decision came at a
time when the dispute between Group
Health Association and the District
Medical Society had spread to the
White House, Capitol Hill and the
public.
Action OF the cooperative commit
tee. Mr. Edwards explained, does not
mean that Group Health Association
has opened its membership to the
public Under its charter, now under
legal attack from the Medical Society,
G. H. A. is confined to membership
among Government workers.
The Cooperative Committee Is
closely allied with Group Health Asso-
citation and most of its members be-
long to G. H. A. The committee op-
crates no clinic and furnishes no
medical service, while G. H. A. op-
crates clinic at 1928 I street NV.
with a staff of seven physicians and
several technicians.
The committee is several years old
and has been making a study of the
cooperative medical movement all
over the world. 1t has expanded its
membership now to all departments
and establishments of the city. It is
headed by DR.. Paul M. Pearson, former
Governor of the Virgin Islands.
AVN aAA AiAAS, al lilC lOllllONCISy NC
tween G. H. A. and the Medical So
ciety, w. c. Kirkpatrick. president of
G. H. A., late yesterday charged the
Medical Society with discrimination"
in the expulsion of DR.. Mario Scan
difio, G.. H. A. physician. This charge
was contained in a letter to DR..
Thomas E. Neill, president of the
Medical Society.
Demands Explanation.
Pointing out that DR.. Scandifio's
expulsion was for alleged violation
of certain provisions of its constitu-
tion," the G. H. A. head said it Seems
incumbent on me to call on you for
an explanation of what We consider
gross discrimination.
I'VE have no desire to join in perse-
cution of any physician" wrote Mr..
kirkpatrick, Notwithstanding the
tactics which have been used against
members of the Group Health staff,
but We do desire to point out that
at least some of the charges on the
basis of which DR.. Scandiffio was
expelled could with equal reason have
been brought against other distin-
JCao I'm Ar MI Dora AdN