Evening star., 1939-06-30
Mutual Health
Service Opens
Tomorrow
Applications
To Be Received,
Cards Issued

Mutual Health Service. the pre-
payment medical care plan of the
Medical Society of the District,
tomorrow morning will open Off
, cially by receiving applications from
subcribers to the plan.
Printing presses today were turn
ing out the last of several neces-
sary forms and the Identification
cards to be used in the doctors
new system for limited medical
care of specifically limited group
Of the Districts population.
Temporary Offices have been es-
tablished on the top floor of the
Medical Society Building at 17l8
M street. and the Mutual Health
Service telephone-Republic 0500-
today was ringing with inquiries.
Designed to meet the need for
lower cost medical care here, the
organizat ton tomorrow will be ready
to explain the plan to eligibles, and
TO accept applications.
Groups Of 10 or More Needed.
Subscribers may join only in
groups of 10 or more, and these
groups must constitute at least so
y per cent of the eligibles In the
, organization in which they are
employed. Small units will be con-
sidered however. For instance, 1t
would not be necessary for so per
cent OF a big Government depart
ment to join in order for group
of subscribers to become eligible.
Smaller parts of the department
could organize. such as so per cent
of the eligibles in division or a
unit.
The groups will be organized with
the assistance of some official of
the firm or unit, but each group
will elect it's own treasurer, to whom
will be paid the necessary fees.
Subscribers are limited to those
persons having an income of $4,000
or less If single; $500 or less for
husband and wife, combined in
come; with 5000 more allowed for
each dependent. For instance. a
man and wife and two children
= would be eligible for family mem
bership if the joint income we're
$4,000 or less year
$3.50 Monthly Per Family.
Fees. which are payable in ad-
vance to the group treasurer, in
clude 81 registration fee with ap-
plication; ST. month if single;
$3.50 month for husband and wife,
and $3.50 a month for a family.
Subscribers must be employed, of
sound body and mind, with no
known pending medical need. Chill
dren may be included in the plan
only up to the age of 1S. Other de-
pendent relatives may be included
in the family plan. but no person
over go years of age can be carried.
At the age of 18 for children. and
go for subscribers, they must be
dropped.
Application blanks provide for a
complete medical history. No
physical examination is required.
but the applicant must agree to
allow access of Mutual Hearth Serv-
ice to the medical records of any
physician who has treated the ap-
plicant in the past.
The application blank goes to the
Mutual Health Service for con-
sideratlon and action. If the appli-
cation Is approved. an identification
card. carrying on its back schedule
Of blanks for two years payment of
dues by the month in advance will
be issued. Also the subscriber will
be issued a so-calG medical GER
tificate," which certifies to his con-
nection with Mutual Health Service.
and outlines the services which will
be available. The subscriber chooses
his own family physician.
$3.50 Family Limit.
For the first $6 worth of medical
care each year the individual sub
scriber will pay in cash. A family
OF two or more will pay for the first
&l2 worth of medical care in cash
Beginning at that point, M. H. S.
viii meet payment of medical care
for subscribers up to and including
$3.50 II single, $3.50 for husband and
wife and $3.50 for the family. Be-
yond that point the subscriber pays
In more cash for medical care.
Those who subscribe to the plan
are to be known as subscribers.
term which is not to be confused
with members" The only mem
bers OF the Mutual Health Service
are the physicians and surgeons be-
longing to the Medical Society of
the District who have agreed to
participate in the plan. 1t is from
among these members" of the
service that the subscriber" has
the free choice" of physician.
About 900 physicians already
have become members of M. H. S.
More are joining. 1t is believed
that still further physicians NAV
Join as their patients may come to
them and designate them as fam
lily physicians" under the Mutual
Health Service plan. This is op-
tional with the doctor
M. H. S. hopes to have 5000 sub
scribers as minimum and will
begin providing medical care when
the total reaches that figure. 1t is
expected the subscription list will
mount far beyond that.