Evening star., 1945-11-20
Study by Congress
To Delay Action on
Truman Health Plan
Ry the Assnciated press

uuIlIoIl IIcoI1II TI0ll
BY the Associated Press.
President Truman's request
for a broad health and medical
program received assurances to-
day Of early congressional at
tention, but action appeared
likely to be deferred. It's points
also met with both approval and
disapproval from the American
Medical Association.
Representative Priest, Democrat,
of Tennessee, chairman OF the House
Interstate Health Subcommittee,
promised hearings soon, but he re-
fused to say just when they would
start or how long they might last.
Senator Wagner, Democrat, of
New York, who with Representa-
tive Dingell, Democrat, of Michigan
introduced bill to carry out the
Presidents recommendations, pre-
dicted Senate Labor Committee ac-
ClOn WlCnln Two months.
Reaction Is Indefinite.
Otherwise, congressional reaction
to the message, read by a House
clerk to about a score of members,
was indefinite. Most of the law
makers told reporters they wanted
to know more about it, particularly
If 1t approached what some called
"SocialiZed medicine"
1T will receive careful scrutiny"
said Representative Knutson of
Minnesota, ranking Republican on
the House Ways and Means Com
mittee. while the President en-
phasized that 1t was not socialized
medicine, we want to be convinced
of that. There will be no hasty
action"
Senator Taft, Republican, OF Ohio
commented that ut is, in fact, i'm
possible to impose a Federal tax
supported compulsory health in
surance plan without socializing the
medical profession"
In his message, Mr.. Truman said
"socialized medicine means that all
doctors work as employees of Govern
ment. The American people want
no such system. No such system is
here proposed"
Millions Lack Protection.
Asserting that millions of our
citizens do not now have a full
measure of opportunity to achieve
and enjoy good health" and lack
protection or security against the
economic effects Of sickness" the
President added:
The time has arrived for action
to help them attain that opportunity
and that protection.
He urged that Congress give con-
sideration now" to these five basic
problems:
i. More adequate distribution of
doctors and hospitals, particularly
to meet deficiencies" in rural and
semirural areas To do this he pro-
posed Federal financial aid to build
needed hospitals, health centers and
other facilities.
2. Development of public health
services and maternal and child care
aids, with adequate provision for
the safe birth of every baby and for
the health protection Of infants and
children"
3. 'Weil-directed and continuously
supported" research to help teach
people how to keep we'll and how to
prolong healthy human life"
Relief From High Costs.
4. Relief from the high cost of
individual medical care" Every one
Mr.. Truman said, should have
ready access to all necessary med
ical, hospital and related services"
and L recommend solving the basic
problem by distributing the costs
through expansion of our existing
compulsory social insurance system. !"
The plan he outlined would leave
patients free to choose their own
physicians and hospitals and allow
physicians to accept or reject pa
tientS. Congress would determine
the cost of this insurance and the
manner of payment, but all wage
earners would pay tax on earnings
to participate.
S. Insurance against loss of earn
ings because of sickness, through ex-
pansion of the present social insur-
ance system with appropriate ad-
justment of premiums"
On the fifth point, the President
said he would have more to say later.
In Chicago, the Journal of the
American Medical Association ex-
presses approval Of this point.
The ANA Journal said, however,
that Mr.. Truman's assertion that
the compulsory sickness insurance
provisions do not represent social
lied medicine will not be convinc-
ing to the physicians - who would
be compelled to submit to politically
controlled medicine should such a
measure ever become law"
In an editorial to be published in
its November Is issue, the journal
said the proposal to extend medical
education and research through
Federal grants would give the Gov
ernment control of medical edu-
cation throughout the United States
through its ability to allocate funds
to medical educational institutions. "
The journal noted that the hos
pital building and maternal and
child care points are covered In