Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1946-04-19
Washington
IaborReport
By Bradford v. Carter
OUR HEALTH

to watch, as the saying goes.
The Senate Committee on
Education and Labor is cur
rently holding hearings on the
Health Insurance Bill and this
is providing Donnell with a
opportunity to show off all of
his skill as cross-examiner.
This last week the witnesses
favorable to the health bill
have been testifying. AS far as
can make out, Donnell is
croSs-examining the witnesses
by using all of the arguments
of the American Medical Asso-
citation against the bill. Much
of his ammunition for the
cross examination comes from
frozen-faced middle-aged
lady who sits behino the SEN
ator and provides the motive
power for a steady flow of
white paper slips. The Senator
reads the notation hastily, and
then asks his question.
Although the various wit
nesSes approach the problem
of the nations health from
many angles, one central
theme emerges from all of
them. The American people
do not get adequate mdical
care because they don't have
the money with which to pur-
chase it.
The witnesses argue that the
health of a nation is not a
commodity which should de-
pend on whether it can be
paid for. Therefore, the only
answer is for the United States
Government to set up a COM
pulsory health insurance pro-
gram financed by payroll de-
ductions. Under the health in
surance program everybody
who needs medical care will
get it.
FREEDOM
These arguments leave Sen
ator Donnell cold. He con-
centrates his fire, as does the
American Medical Association
on what they like to call
freedom to chose his own
doctor. And the doctor won't
be able to chose his patient.
The main fire is concentrat-
ed on the section of the bill
which empowers the u. S.
Surgeon General to set the
maximum number of patients
who can be treated by an in
dividual doctor under the
health plan.
What will h a ppen, asks
Senator Donnell, if somebody
wakes up in the middle of the
night with a bellyache and
goes to his nearest doctor only
to find that he may not, un-
der the regulations, take any
more patients?
Witness after witness testi-
fies that under the present
system millions of people have
no freedom of choice because
they can't pay any doctors
fees. This argument appar-
emily leaves the Senator I'M
impressed.
Also unimpressed is the
Senator with the argument
that his hypothetical instance
of the man who wakes up in
the middle of the night with a
pain is nonsense. The mere
suggestion that doctor might
refuse to treat such a case,
under any circumstances, is
reflection on the medical pro-
fession.
Throughout the questioning
with respect to the powers of
the Surgeon General, Senator
Donnell seemed to operate on
the assumption that DR.. Par
ran-in this case a distinguish
I'd physician-Was a danger
,usly irresponsible individual
who would promulgate regu-
ations on arbitrary and capri
,ious grounds.
There was no evidence in
he tenor of Donnells ques-
ioning that it was possible for
| public official to exercise a
legislative grant of authority
ntelligently-or for that mat
er that the courts already
provided checks on the unrea-
enable utilization of admins
rative authority.
Senator Donnell, elected by
he people of the State of
is serving only the
of the American
fedical Association. If he
erves the ANA purposes too
veil, it will be at the expense
( the millions of our people
D whom freedom of choice
leans the freedom to suffer
isease and illness without de-
ent medical care.