Evening star., 1947-11-26
Star Staff Photo.

Star Stan Photo.
100000 Loss Is Seen
By Private Hospitals
In |ndigentCases
By Thomas 6. Buchonon
Private hospitals in the District
will lose more than 100000 this
year on patients whose bills should
be paid from PUBLIC funds, a Hos
pital Council Committee today ad-
vised the Health Department.
The hospital spokesmen asked the
District to enter contracts with all
private hospitals to repay them fol
services they provide patients whose
income is low enough to qualify fol
public assistance.
Committee members told DR.
George C. Rutland, District health
officer, they are aware of the limited
funds appropriated for hospitaliza.
ton to the Health Department..
Asked to Draw Contracts.
They asked him to draft con.
tracts with the private hospitals
providing for equitable payment fol-
INDECENT cases, subject to the funds
being appropriated by Congress.
The payment would be based on
either actual costs or a schedule
of fixed fees approximating COSTS
The council representatives re-
quested that the necessary funds be
asked In next years budget and said
they would like to present their case
to the Commissioners if the Budget
Officer fails to support the proposal
for extra appropriations. If neces-
sary, they added, they would be
very willing" to carry the request
to Congress.
AS "stop-gap aids' they suggested
immediate negotiations for any
money that may be available from
the Health Departments hospitali-
zation fund as payment to private
hospitals for treating INDECENT clinic
visitors.
Chest Funds Unavailable.
Under a new contract to become
effective shortly, Community Chesi
funds will not be available to re.
imburse hospitals for the care o1
spatients eligible for tax funds, they
pointed out.
1.-The funds raised by voluntary
contributions from the charitabl!
disposed persons OF this Metropoli
tan area are not intended by thu
donors to be used in discharge O
what are essentially legal obligations
of the District of Columbia" th'
committee maintained.
It was estimated that the hospita
losses on Community Chest patient!
alone will be In excess of $500, 900
year. Chest contributions are re-
stricted to $3.50 a day per hospita
patient and 81 per clinic visit. Tht
committee estimated average cost o.
hospital service at $12.l0 day dur
ing the first six months of the year
and even higher in recent months
ANY diversion of Chest funds tt
reimburse hospitals for treatment
Of tax-eligible patients of the Dis
trict would therefore only increase
the loss OF the hospitals on Chest
patients" the committee contended
Cost of Care Reported.
The cost of hospital care pro-
vided by the city's private hospital:
for patients qualified to receive pub
lie funds during the first six months
Of the year was set at 1925 ,676 fol
1852 patient-days.
This figure, it was stated, covers
care supplied by Children's, Emer.
gency and Casualty Hospitals, which
already have contracts with thu
District of the type all the private
hospitals are seeking, under which
they are repaid at rate of $3.50 9
day.
Deducting the payments to the
three contract hospitals Of $173,947
a balance of $151, 1,729 was set as the
total net deficit Of private hospitals
in the District for six months care
Of patients eligible for tax funds
If the same load is carried the last
half of the year, the deficit will
more than double, because operating
costs have risen, the committe,
argued.
A total of 1920 clinic visits wer'
reported in the private hospitals
outpatient service, representing al
estimated expense Of $85 1868: Com
mittee spokesmen said this report i
incomplete and that they can no
estimate the total loss from clini
service to charity cases.
Categories Listed.
The committee listed the follow
ing categories of patients for whom
/. the District should assume financia
responsibility, if the individual
found to be INDECENT:
i. Those who are treated in tn
outpatient clinic of a private hos
pital, if the city hospital, Gallinge,
cannot provide the same service, o
If Gallinger is too far from thei
homes to be visited at frequent in
tervals.
2. Those who are admitted a
emergency cases.
3. Those who are admitted I'll
good faith" as private patients bu
later prove to be INDECENT.
4. AL patients and clinic case
referred to the private hospital b.
Gallinger, the Board of Public Wei
fare or other District agencies, ant
those for whom space at Gallinge
is temporarily not available.
Dr.. Galloway Urges
Home Rule for DC.