Imperial Valley press., 1945-03-23
COMPULSORY HEALTH
INSURANCE

An ill-advised proposal now Is before
the California legislature-what Is
known as the governors compulsory
health insurance plan.
There is too much of compulsory talk
and legislation. 1t means control. Com
pulsory mandates do not belong to a
democratic people.
The health measure now under con-
sideration would place state control over
a single profession. 1t is the wrong pro-
cedure to obtain an objective which no
one would have the hardness to say is
not one of peculiar importance. Medical
care is but one phase of the health prob
lem, and certainly when the state gains
control over the medical profession,
backward step will have been taken in
solving the many other problems tied IN
with the health of a people of any given
state or area.
There is the great need for improving
fundamental health standards. Reg
ular and plenty of sleep; proper regula-
tion of diet and eating hours; staying
away from tobacco until maturity fully
is reached, improved and constant re
creation habits, and an eye to better
morals These are some of the direct
ways to good health and for healthy
people that await acceptance and con-
slant attention.
Why not master these before talking
about compulsory methods?
Once a mandate such as this measure
calls for becomes a reality, is there any
reason to believe other professions would
be left alone? Why not compulsory dent
istry? Why not control of amusements,
the houses in which we live, of our daily
marketing, what foods we should eat.
The road would be wide open for COM
plate control through compulsory meas
ures of every act of our daily lives.
The measure is vulnerable from many
angles. No one of its most ardent sup
porters has been able or at least has not
given any ciaar-cut idea as to the cost
of the system And defense of the ma
ior bill now before the legislators is that
lone may elect or not elect to accept the
services the measure would provide. This
is not consistent with the intent OF the
title of the act under consideration.
Be i. ever so just and fair and accept
able, the status of the proffered measure
is too beclouded and too incoherent as to
merit enactment.
1. is not wise at this period in the af-
fairs of the state and the country to IN
crease deductions from pay checks or to
insert levies against incomes
At best it is only a halfway measure,
granting that there is the need and the
desire for such compulsory legislation.
1t would not reach all the people by far.
Since the plan is aimed directly at the
medical profession, it manifestly is un-
fair that it should be rushed through at
a time when large number Of .octors
are absent from the state in military
service.
If we analyza sentiment coilect-
ly. California does not want compulsory
health insurance. The sentiment appears
unchanged since the people voted on It
during World War one. At that time a
decision majority said no. The vote was
Yes. 1873 ,S5S and No, 358,324. Rare IN
Imperial county the vote was 685 for and
1851 against In other words, almost
three to one margin.
However, impossible as the scheme is,
there is ample food for thought for the
medical profession Like others, there is
room for improvement and this compul-
sorv agitation indicates without doubt
that if improvements are not brought
about and progress courted. the state Will
step in and make up for the laXity.
But the best move the Legislature
can make at this time is to pigeonhole the
bills.