The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1946-02-09
RAP
STATE COMMISSION
CONTINUED from Page One)

Continued from rage OncJ
"as to seriously affect the welfare
OF employees and a situation mas
developed which is considered In
tolerable by the Medical society OF
the State of North Carolina"
Cut 50 Per Cent
The chief compliant was that
bills rendered by the physicians
often are cut as much as so per
cent causing great irritation to
the physicians who in some in
stances are not seeking that type
of work as a result. That, said
DR.. Westbrook Murphy, Of Ashe'
vile, tends to place the case OF in
jured workmen in the hands OF the
less competent.
The tee schedule under which
physicians are paid was adopted
is years ago, DR.. Murphy said,
while wages have about doubled IN
that time.
Misses No Words
Mincing no words, DR.. Oren
Moore. Of Charlotte, society presi'
dent, said that the commission
was disregarding the welfare OF
the injured. but rather was seek
ing to cut payments and thus low
er its tax rates.
Fee cutting has resulted in an
unhealthy situation, the commit.
tee said, adding in its brief that
'by withholding payment, the In.
dustrial commission has limited
- --A1ical care, the
use OF such materials as LeIati...
antitoxin, plaster casts, etc. x x ,
this practice has resulted in i'm.
pairment Of professional judgment
and a resulting lowering Of the
quality OF medical care.
Works Judgment
It is obvious that laymen, even
physicians who are far removed
cannot exercise reasonable judg-
ment as to the amount or type of
medical care required by the in
dividual patient, especially when
such judgment is rendered after
the fact"
If some doctors have padded"
their bills, as the commission
charges, ''the commission has
been derelict in not prosecuting
such dishonesty, or at least in fail
ing to expose the details Of such
practices, so that they could be
curbed by the medical profession
itself" Such a charge, DR.. Muir
ply said, has implanted doubt
in the minds of employers, en-
ployes and insurance carriers as
to the honesty of the medical pro-
fession."
Going further, the committee
said that ''the desire of the COM
mission to lower insurance rates
continuously is laudable so long
as 1t leads to efficiency in adj
and reduction in the
number Of injuries: but when it
results undue limitation Of and un-
prepayment for needed hospital
and medical care, with resulting
injustice to the working men, it is
to be cor demned."
The Medical society advanced
its own ideas as to how the "evils"
could be eliminated. It suggested
the creation in each Of the 10
district medical societies Of one or
more industrial boards or COM
mittees to sele,- doctors competent
to practice under the act, to pass
upon accusations of misconduct,
such as charr' g les sthan the
fee schedule, to pass
upon disagreements on charges
for medical services. It also sug-
gested a new minimum medical
fee to conform with the increase
in wages and general costs.
The committee said i believed
adoption Of it's suggestions would
eliminate much of the friction
and i'll feeling which now exists
between the industrial commission
and the physicians Of North Car
Dina"
Not only are doctors irritated
the committee said, but hospitals
as well. Fees Of the latter also
have been cut. Virginia border
hospitals will, in some instances
refuse to take an injured work.
men from North Carolina Dr.
Moore and DR.. lack Owens "a
City, said.
In addition to those named nth
ere present were DIR. Roscoe NJ
of Red Springs, society
secretary; DR.. Newsom Batt1e ~
Rocky Mount; DR.. FLOYD Knisht
Of Sanford; DR.. M. D. Hill ~
Raleigh; DR.. Fred Paterson o of
greensboro, and DR.. I. E. Shaffer
OF Salisbury, members of thu ex
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