The Coolidge examiner., 1945-12-07

Suggest you write to the Govern
over 10 surgeons. specialists. den
lists and family physicians.
The thing which brought up the
discussion in the first place was the
recent introduction into congress OF
the Wagner Murray Dingell bill
calling for government insurance
10 handle the nations medical
costs.
INSURANCE problem
The people heard talking about
their difficulties In financing med
ical expenses didn't favor this leg
islation. They called II "socialized
medicine" and they suspected that
II would interfere with medical
progress. that IL would make med
iclne a political football. and that
II would. in general be a bad
thing for the nation.
But they were unanimous In their
opinion that something should be
done 10 take the financial headache
out OF sickness
when those present had all man
aged TO get their pet complaint
against the doctors off their chests,
the talk turned TO possible solu-
tions.
One man who was in the IN
suranee business became the
chief target OF attack. why"
he was asked. cant the insur-
ance companies issue policies
which really protect US against
doctors bills so there won't be
any need for government insur-
ance?"
lie began explaining about varl-
Gus types of health insurance his
company did issue. But he was
stopped by young man who said.
Il had one OF those policies. but
when | had stomach trouble and
collected on Il. the company said
they wouldn't insure me any more
Your company and all the others
want to insure people. but they
won't take any chances on those
who are most apt 10 be sick"
The insurance man explained
that insurance companies had to go
in TOR that practice in order TO keep
rates down-but that explanation.
although understandable. didn't
satisfy this group who were seek
ing a better solution for the care
OF the sick through non-goyern-
mental channels.
RISK plan
Here's a possible answer" an
other member of the group said.
when | bought a home before the
war got a 90 per cent mortgage
on IT, No private organization
would have given such a large
mortgage on its own - but this
mortgage was guaranteed by the
government. That is, the trans
action was handled by a bank, but
il was done with the understand
ing that IL the bank lost money on
the loan the government would pay
the loss.
why" he asked, couldn't the
same thing be worked out with
health insurance? | can under
stand why insurance companies,
which are in business for profit,
refuse to take poor risks. But IL
is the people who are classified as
poor risks who need the help the
most. So, instead of having direc,
government insurance. perhaps the
government and the insurance com
panies could get together, agree on
an all-inclusive policy from which
no one would be barred, and issue
il with the understanding that the
government would make up for any
losses incurred by companies issu-
ing that policy"
That plan seemed to meet with
the immediate approval of those
who heard il. AS far as they
could see, il would answer the
problem without putting the gov
ernment directly into the insur-
ance business.
Perhaps the experts could show
why this particular plan might be
impractical but ii helped to assure
me that there is certainly some
sound answer which does not in
volve the direct specialization OF
medicine.
In my opinion the majority oi
people don't want government con
troll over medicine. But they are
apt to approve it, as an unsatis
factory but partial answer to a ma
jor problem, unless those who are
in a position to formulate a better
plan work one out Immediately.