Evening star., 1946-09-17
5-Year Hospital
Building Plan
He|d|nadequate
Purron Tells Council
Rising Costs Have
Hit HilI-Burton Act

The Hill-Burton Act for a five-
year national hospital survey and
construction program will not meet
urgent health needs of the Ameri-
can people. Government officials to-
day told the new Federal Hospital
Council.
Surg. Gen. Thomas Parran of the
United States Public Health Serv-
ice, council chairman, declared
"sky-rocketing building costs" and
the increased needs of the public
will result in far fewer beds than
anticipated
The present cost of hospital
building he estimated is at least so
per cent higher than when the bill
was first considered Consequently.
he said, the increased needs of the
people for new and replacement
hospital and health center facii-
ties might cost as high as about
Sc ,000, 900 900.
Appropriation Not Made.
1t had been estimated, he said,
that these facilities based on prewar
costs would require about 81 900 O00.-
900. The Hill-Burton bill authorizes
an appropriation over five years yet
to be made by Congress of S1,l25,-
100000 for such facilities.
Federal Security Administrator
Watson B. Miller took somewhat the
same line of Interpretation of the
new hospital act. 1T does not at
tempt to meet all problems of ma
tional health, he said. 1T does begin
to meet the most immediate need"
| Mr.. Miller charged that many pub
lie health centers throughout the
country were not only badly located.
but poorly equipped" providing a
handicap to health experts in their
attempts to hold up the health Of
the public. He charged too many
of them were located in cellars and
easements of courthouses.
Favors Prepayment Plan.
! Mr.. Miller reiterated his convic-
ton that some kind of arrangement
should, and could, be worked out in
cooperation with the medical pro-
fesSlon to permit the American peo-
pie to pay their health and hospital
bills under some system of prepay
ment. Pointing to the presence Of
representatives of consumers" of
medical care on the new Federal
Hospital Council, Mr.. Miller declared
it was another graphic symbol of
the democratic attitude under which
we work"
The council, which was to be ad-
dressed by several other speakers
including those representing the
public interest" convened for it's
first session in the Public Health
Service headquarters on Constitu-
ton avenue for three days. Follow
ing the open session this morning
the council was to go into executive
session behind closed doors Begin
i. ming this afternoon to take UP its
extensive responsibilities of prepar-
ing regulations for administration
. OF the Halliburton Act. The act
has three purposes, authorizing an
inventory Of hospital and health
center facilities, establishment of
plans in the various States for eX-
penditure of the Federal funds and
finally construction program.
Survey Fund Authorized.
A fund of 100000 has been
authorized for the survey and PLAN
ming expenses based on State popu-
lation and Congress already has
appropriated S2,350,000 of this
amount. An appropriation of s75,-
100000 for each of five years is au-
| thorized, it was explained to the
council, to be distributed among the
States by a formula which takes
into consideration population and
per capita income of each State.
Local jurisdictions, however, must
raise 50 for every 81 of Federal
money to obtain the grants.
The District of Columbia. as pre-
viously disclosed. is allotted $19,145
for survey and planning and $685.
$50 for the first of the five years
construction. District officials, how
ever, have not developed their plans
| for participation here in the ma
tional program.
Among the other speakers today
were George Bugbee of Chicago,
executive director of the American
Hospital Association; three mem
bers of the Advisory Committee
representing public interest-Mrs.
Agnes Meyer of this city. Nelson
Cruickshank of the American Fed
Grafton of Labor, Ransom E AID
rich of the American Farm Bureau
Fedora ton of Cleveland. Miss.-and
officials of the United States Public
Health Service.
/ Mrs. Meyer told the council the
country was in a "ferment over the
! injustices of life, particularly in our
/ impoverished areas, whether rural
or urban" She predicted that the
prospect of alienation in the field Of
health and medical care would do
more than improve the physical
conditions of life. 1T would be-"
she declared. "a promise of better
things to come, a sign that our
Federal, State and local govern
ments are moving toward democ-
racy of which we boast and for
which our hearts are secretly
! yearning"
The speaker warned. however.
that unfortunately our very poorest
regions cannot be reached until the
present act is amended"