Montana labor news., 1945-02-08

including provision for a workers de-
pendents, during permanent total dis
ability and that such cash benefits be
crowded also during brief periods Of
incapacity due to sickness or in the early
period of disabilities which may prove
permanent. Provisions for both types
of disability benefits should be closely
co-ordinated and careful consideration
should be given to unifying administra-
ton
The board also recommends social in
surance provisions to pool costs Of med
ical and hospital care commonly borne
by families and individuals. Through
agreements with assistance agencies,
such arrangements might also be used
to finance care Of recipients of assist
ance. Administration of medical care
insurance should be decenualized, should
be worked out in collaboration with the
professions, agencies and institutions
concerned, and should be guided by ad-
visory councils composed of representa-
tives Of contributors and Of the groups
which furnish medical services.
A Comprehensive and Unified
Social Security Program
The boards recommendation for fed
eral and state action in public assistance
would result in establishing, in each
state, comprehensive unified program
open to all needy persons in the state
whatever the reason for their need.
The recommendations for social insur-
ance include measures which could be
carried out by state acting alone or by
the states and the federal government
in collaboration or by federal action.
The board here reaffirms the belieg
expressed in its preceding annual report
that the most effective and economical
way to provide social insurance in the
United States is through single com
prehensive national system, affording a
basic minimum protection, with which
special or additional programs would be
co-ordinated Such system should not
impair the protection under existing
systems but should strengthen and COM
plement present social insurance pro-
lection and extend it to many person;
who now lack it.
A comprehensive basic system SHOULD
afford insurance against involuntary los
Of earnings for all the common reasons
workers-temporarily, during sickness o.
not within the control Of individual
involuntary unemployment of the bread
winner, or for longer periods, duinl
permanent disability or old age or a
e the workers death It should includ
medical care insurance. 1t should cove
all gainfully occupied persons and thel
> dependenats, except that unemployment
= insurance and temporary disability in
surance, at least for the first few week
of disability, cannot suitably be provide
. for self-employed persons since there
no practical test of their loss Of earning
through unemployment" or in brief pc
rods of disability. self-employed per
sons, however, should be covered by in
d s6ranoe against old-age dependence
y Death. permanent disability, and medic'
q costs.
IL Such system, established under fec
ie eral law. should be decentralized, opel
n aHng through local offices. Advisor
= councils and appeals bodies-local, stat
d or federal-should afford representatic
j. Of the general public, workers and en-
Is ployers and groups with a special inte
n est in particular aspects Of the PR
l. gram, such as the medical and relate
Sc professions and the hospitals.
s' Workers and employers would de
ID with a single office for any aspect
L the program. only a single employ
r. report and contribution would be r
m oulred for social insurance purposes, al
4 only a single wage record would need
Sc be maintained for an individual En-
~ ployers who do not ordinarily keep wa
W records or make wage reports, includil
housewives who employ domestic wor
at ers and farmers with hired hands, cou
re use stamp-book system to pay and +
IS, cord contributions. For self-empoy