Evening star., 1947-02-17
Letters to The Star
Broader Health Insurance Base
Advocated By Doctor

Broader Health Insurance Base
Advocated By Doctor
To the Editor Of The Star:
The present debate over the wisest
administrative form for our national
effort more equitably to distribute the
high cost of basic health security is
of vital concern to every citizen. The
some practical form of solvent, pre-
payable, low-cost, risk-sharing health
insurance must" for all of us.
Fortunately for the taxpayers guid-
ance, recently publicized complaint by
Garfield Hospital offers constructive
commentary on the demonstrated lini-
tations of community self f-help insurance
plans. Simply stated this nonproft,
privately operated hospital claimed that
the current contract rates Group Hos
pitalization, Inc, and Group Health
Association, Inc, were paying for hos
pitalization for their subscribers was
insolvently short of their actual cost of
production. A formula of solvency will
require these corporations either to in
crease subscriber rates or reduce con-
templated benefits.
This has a threefold social and eco
nomic significance to the average citizen
in desperate search for a solvent, pre-
payable, loW-cost ninimal health secu-
rity. First, privately operated hospitals
all over the Nation are voicing Garfield
70 Pc 1ai, o4,l
ices for subscribers of Blue Cross-type
plans are being provided at the cost of
deficit-spending. This is in spite of
the fact that Nationwide shortages in
hospital beds have not only shortened
the average patient-stay but many eligi-
bles could not gain admission to hos
pitfalls even in grave emergencies.
Second, at least in principle both G. H.
Inc, and G. H. A., Inc, substantially
conform to the actuarial and admins
trative patterns of the kind of voluntary
health insurance plans organized med
icine has approved as an adequate form
OF health security for the solvent.
Our third point is logical inference
from the previous two. Both G. H., Inc,
and G. II. A., Inc, predicate their SOL
yency on a careful selection Of the good
risks and calculated avoidance of the
poor ones. To this end the aged and
those with existing disease are not eligi-
BILE for participation. Even those who
are eligible have the totality and dura-
ton OF their health insurance protection
carefully limited to keep the program
solvent. Definitely, such policies leave
an appalling No-Man's-Land of unmet
need for both the poor risks and those
whose health hazards are truly catas-
trophic.
As self-appointed consumer counsel
for the public, this writer presumes to
suggest basis for urgently needed COM
promise. Limit national health insur-
ance program to the essential and the
possible. Without discrimination make
solvent national health insurance plan
available to three classes of risks in
greatest need of cost-spreading relief.
child-bearing, catastrophe illness and
the malignancies and degenerative dis
eases OF advanced years. 1t is real
need and real challenge to democracy.
But in dedicating ourselves to such a
task, let us remember that our passing
from the privileged status of favorable
risks to the desperate plight of poor
ones may be much closer than we think.
THOMAS E. MATTINGLY, MD.
Questions Weirton Testimony
TO the Editor Of The STAR
This letter is in regard to an article
in your paper on February IL dealing
with the testimony of an attorney,
Earl Reed, before the Senate Labor
Committee.
AS you reported, Senator Murray
read into the record some pointed
facts from the La Toilette hearings, con-
corning the purchase of industrial mu-
nitions by the Weirton Steel Co., Mr..
Reeds employer. BY way of denying
these facts, Mr.. Reed first threw mud at
the La Toilette Committee and then
went on to say that the Circuit Court
of Appeals found the Weirton Steel Co.
not guilty of engaging in labor
espionage.
Your reporter does not indicate that
the c. c. AS decision had nothing to
do with the La Toilette Committees
report. 1t is concerned solely with the
hiring of labor spies.
AS an inquisitive citizen, should like
to know why company and its repre-
sentative who found it necessary to buy
tear gas and riot guns in order to keep
industrial peace" should be allowed to
testify in regard to constructive labor
legislation. ARTHUR P. ANTIN.
Communism Unconstitutional
To the Editor Of The Star:
In no manner can Communism be
included under and operated within OUR
Constitution. They cannot be reconciled.
The installation of Communism here
would require prior total destruction Of
our Constitution. Such action would be
unconstitutional, since our Constitution
requires that it be preserved, protected
and defended. A Communist Party, ipso
facto, never has been legitimate party
under our Constitution. It is not an
agent for the defense and preservation
of our Constitution and Government but
is conspiracy to destroy them.
With difference to our courts, repeated
riots and peace disturbances, with their
assaults, traffic blockades and depriva-
tons of property rights, are not the valid
exercising of any right of contract, free
speech or of the press. They are acts in
Ill sk,aAs