Evening star., 1938-09-17
LIBERAL PROGRAM
URGED BY DOCTOR
A. M. A. Told Thousands of
Its Members Already in
SociaIized Medicine.
By the Associated Press,

BY the Associated Press.
CHICAGO, Sept. 17.-An official of
the American Medical Association de-
clared today that thousands of its
members are already firmly established
in the practice of socialized or tax
paid medicine
DR.. Roscoe G. Leland, director of the
association Bureau of Medical Eco
nomics, told the organizations House
of Delegates that there now are in
operation more than 5000 medical aid
programs in the Nation.
The House Of Delegates is meeting
In special session to frame an official
opinion on a proposed $3.50, ,000, 900
Federal-State aid health program.
DR.. Leland said the programs range
all the way from payment plans in
dorsed by various local medical socie-
ties to the hiring of doctors, nurses
and hospital facilities by rural CO.
operative organizations, business con-
Germs and Government organizations.
G. H. A. May Be Discussed.
The latter type of sponsorship has
met with vigorous objection from the
association since the Group Health
Association of Washington, D. c., or
ganlzed year ago with a $4,000 loan
from the Home Owners Loan Corp.
and hired physicians and nurses to
provide its members with medical care.
That associations activities may
come up for discussion and action this
week end. particularly since it involved
direct subsidy by Government agency
and since its legality is now being con-
tested IN the District of Columbia
courts.
Some members Of the House Of Dele
gates declared emphatically yester-
day they were opposed to a Federal
State health program but indicated
they would submit an alternate plan,
to be administered by local medical
societies.
DR.. Leland, however, told the dele
gates a large percentage of the asso-
cations members in good standing are
already accepting salaries or fees from
various Government agencies to care
AoA tlle NleulCdlly needy.
Liberal. Prompt Action Urged.
These physicians, he said, are paid
by the States. counties or relief agen-
cies, including the Federal Govern
ment. They receive salaries for taking
care of sick employees of industrial con-
Germs, and they are reimbursed bv
medical ala societies. labor unions and
other similar cooperative organiza-
tions.
AS far as direct Government sub
sides for medical care are concerned,
DR.. Leland added, the Farm Security
Administration of the Department of
Agriculture is making loans to groups
OF farmers who organize and hire
physicians to care for members of the
county organizations. At least five
cooperative associations are already
hiring physicians without Government
aid.
Meanwhile, hundreds of business and
industrial firms have physicians on
their pay rolls and provide all medical
care or assist their employees in carry
ing the burden Of illness, he declared
Such activities, a number of the
delegates said in brief interviews tciay,
indicate that the House of.Deleeates
must take prompt and liberal. action
at its present special session, and not
follow in the footsteps of previous
meetings in postponing action
Colored Doctors Offer Aid.
Representatives Of 5000 colored
physicians in the United States pro-
posed alignment Of their. Nationa;
Medical Association with the n. M. A.
in fighting the $850,OOo,000 health
program.
In an address to members of the
House Of Delegates, DR.. Roscoe Giles
of Chicago declared that the support
of the colored physicians had Been
sought by Government representatives
for that program but that they pre-
ferred to align themselves with the
physicians group.
Three colored physicians we're in
vited to attend the meeting OF the
delegates and may participate in the
discussions. Many colored physicians,
1t was pointed out, are members OF
both associations.