Evening star., 1945-11-19
Truman Offers
Plan 10 Insure
Health Of All
Compulsory System
Embodied in 5-Point
Message to Congress
Partial Tert ot Truman Message
on Page As.
NV j. A. FOX.

FreSIoent truman To-Day asked
Congress to approve a fivGpoint
national health program which
Incorporates a provision for
compulsory health insurance to
finance medical care.
Declaring in his message that
this is mot socialized medicine" the
President suggested that the health
insurance feature might be financed
by a levy on the first $500 of any
individuals annual wage.
In explanation of this he said "a
broad program of prepayment for
medical care would need total
amounts approximately equal to (
per cent of such earnings"
The people Of the United States
have been spending, on an average,
nearly this percentage of their in
comes for sickness care" he said,
How much of the total fund
should come from the insurance
premiums and how much from the
general revenues Is a matter for
the Congress to decide"
The Presidents program also con-
templates a disability insurance
which would protect Americas
families by guaranteeing some in
come when they are sick or per-
manently disabled"
Three Other Points.
The other three points in the pro.
gram are:
Federal aid for construction of
hospitals, health centers and other
facilities.
Expansion Of public health, ma.
ternal and child health services.
Federal aid for more adequate
professional education and research
with emphasis on the cause, preven-
ton and cure of cancer and mental
illnesses.
On the subject of public health.
maternal and child health services.
the President bespoke expansion of
the existing Federal-State programs
with the help of Federal funds.
"An parts of the country and all
groups In the population should be
able to benefit from them" he
said. Expansion is especially I'M
portant to prevent disease and to
provide services for mothers and
children. Approximately 10000, 900
persons in the United States live in
communities which still lack full
time public health services"
Would Encourage Research.
Federal grants should insist on
and encourage medical education
and research, he said, adding that
special emphasis should be- paid to
research on the cause, prevention
and cure of cancer and mental Ill
nesses."
In arguing for the prepaid med
ical cost feature, the President said
the costs Of essential medical sery-
ices should not stand in the way of
the patient who needs care" and he
explained that the program he ad-
vances would incorporate "a sys-
tenn for prepayment of costs through
premiums which people could al
ford and which are paid while they
are wen ana working"
The President argued also that
the health insurance was needed to
guarantee doctors q steady income
and encourage them to settle in To-
cantles which lack medical service.
He stressed that patients would
be free to choose their own doctors:
that doctors would remain free To
accept or reject patients, and that
hospitals would continue to manage
their own services. ~
Voluntary Organizations,
voluntary organizations could
participate in the insurance system.
either to provide services and be
paid therefor or to assist in adj
mipfstration, depending on their
functions" he continued.
The President explained that de.
centralized administration would
provide for needed local adjustments
IN fees, methods OF payment and
arrangements for services.
Doctors and hospitals could ex-
pect Improvement and stability Of
income at the same time that the
patients are relieved of unexpected
land burdensome cost"
Congress for months has been con.
fronted with proposed legislation
along this line and the President
urged that it be given consideration
now.
"None of this is really new" he
said In urging his insurance plan.
The American people are the most
insurance-minded people in the
world. They will not be frightened
Oh from health insurance because
some people have misnamed it So
cialized medicine"
The President expressed himself
as favoring "the broadest possible
coverage for this insurance sys-
teYn.''
i believe that all persons who
work for living and their depend.
ents should be covered under such
an insurance plan. This would in-
tsee HEALTH. Page A-205