The Daily Alaska empire., 1945-12-08
The Nations Health
Cincinnati Enuuirerl


 The Presidents message on the national health with recommendations for far-reaching legislation is an important document dealing with exceedingly vital problem which has been too long neglected It is not, however, proposal to be approved or rejected offhand the basis of ones preconceyed notions. It is made up of a careful survey of the national health a review of past Federal policy respecting health and series of five concrete recommendations for new legislative action
 One proposal is for considerably enlarged public health maternal and child health services, these to remain State activities but with larger Federal con- trbution to their support With this recommendation there will be little quarrel second proposal calls for entry of the Federal Government into field the financing of hospitals and other health facilities in counties where they noneXistent or in- adequate The facilities would be built and operated by local governments. This is a practical way of strengthening the health services of rural and of attracting physicians to those It ought to have general support
 Another recommendation is for vastly increased Federal support of medical education and research and the coordination of medical research by a Federal agency It would be most desirable to have the judg ment of a large number of research physicians and that medical educators before any action is taken on this phase of the Presidents plan
 The two remaining proposals of different nature Those discussed above represent the use of Federal funds to extend or improve health services and facilities and medical research and training But the two remaining proposals wholly different
  prepayment of health costs for all employed and self employed persons and their families, and @ payment of sickness benefits to workers to make up to them least in part loss of income resulting from illness
 MT. Truman buttresses his case for these two plans by describing them insurance widely established American institution. What he neglects to point out is that insurance is not merely sharing of risks but a rating of risks When buys fire insurance he joins with others in pooling the risk But he pays in precise relation to the value of his house factory or warehouse And if he has resistant roof his rate is lower
 As it works out under social security principals insurance" becomes a special form of taxation. We tax virtually all wage and salary carriers in pro- portion to their income up to $3l000 year. But we do not pay benefits in proportion. The cost of nem poyment insurance is spread industry, but the benefits go to the least stable workers in the least stable industries. .seA4eesS
 That something must be done for the better medical and disqualification of the lowerpad workers and for the rural generally all agree But it does follow that should create bureaucracy to administer staggeringly large enterprise, which would entail among other things permanent OPA to fix physicians fees in each of the country for each type of service he provides.
 The social security aspect of these recommenda- tions will need much more study and consideration than the President and his advisers apparently have given to it.