Evening star., 1948-06-29
Hospitals Ask
Chest 10 Pay
|S14.48 Rate
Fuce Deficit Of Million
For Yeor, Federation
Committee Is Told


The Community Chest Federation
has been asked to increase payment
for disqualification Of INDECENT and
semiindigent patients from the pres
ent $3.50 day to $l4.48 day in
l949.
The plea was laid before the
Budget Committee of the Fedora
ton yesterday afternoon, with the
warning that II nonprofit hospitals
in the Metropolitan Area face a
combined deficit at the end of this
calendar year of more than ST.
100000.
For nearly three hours, the Budg-
ct Committee heard the case for
hospital care presented by spokes-
men for the Hospital Council, and
the Health Security Administration.
which, is changing its name to the
Hospital Service Agency for the
National Capital Area. Represent
atives of the hospitals themselves
also presented their cases.
Owing to increased cost of hos
pital care, the Chest Federation
was asked to increase its hospitali-
zation fund for next year to a net
of s1.153.000. This compares to the
request made about this time last
year for a disqualification budget Of
$685., 1874 for 1948, which had been
reduced by ALLEGATION to $493,145.
and now stands at $432.179 for this
calendar year.
Cites Reduced Averages.
Willard Smith, administrator Of
HSA, explained the present Chest
payments to hospitals for INDECENT
and semi -indigent care are at the
rate of $3.50 day for adults, 50 a
day for infants and 81 per day for
clinic visits. At the rate the hos
pittalization fund is being spent,
however. he estimated that by the
end of this year the hospitals will
be receiving an average Of $685..
$182 and 81 cents respectively for
the three classes.
For next year the hospitals asked
for $l4.48 per adult. day, 50 per in
FAINT day and 81 Tor each clinic
visit.
As principal spokesman for the
hospitals, Mr.. Smith told the COM
mittee:
I'VE do not ask you to provide
the cost of the entire hospital en-
terprise. The Hospital Council al
ready has obtained from Congress
some money to pay for tax eligible
patients in the District. We already
know, however, that the rates to be
paid are too low. We ask today that
you provide enough money to pay
the bare cost of the non-tax- eligi-
BILE patients, the Chest Federation
|eligible patients" Z
n Fund Conservation Pledged.
|@ In making this appeal. Mr.. srnith
pledged continued efforts to con-
serve Chest funds. This. he ex-
planned, Is accomplished "by limit
ing their use to only those patients
who are truly Ii, need and to obtain
(from the patients themselves what
they are able 10 pay without forcing
them to resort to some other Com
munity Chest Agency for other
necessities of life"
He declared that the new rate is
needed, "if the hospitals are to
survive without obtaining source
of funds other than the Community
Chest Federation"
John J. Anderson. administrator
of Arlington Hospital, told the
Budget Committee his institution
already is making an appeal for
funds to carry it through the rest
of this year and to build up a
reserve to complete purchase Of the
institution from the Federal Gov
ernment, which built 1t.
There has been much talk in the
Metropolitan Area of the hospitals
conducting a campaign of their own.
But several spokesmen at the open
Budget Committee meeting yester-
day expressed the hope that suffi-
cient funds might be obtained
through the Chest Federation in
stead.
First Open to Press.
The budget hearing was the first
in the history of the Chest Fedora
tion or the Washington Community
i Chest thrown open to the press. At
the conclusion of the session Frank
Birgfeld, chairman, announced the
problem will be taken under consid-
Grafton, first by the hospital sub
committee headed by Marcellus
Shield, later by the full budget COM
mittee.
i The entire budget will be ready for
presentation to the Federation ex-
, ecutive committee about the middle
of July, he said.
i Among hospital spokesmen stress
ing the higher cost of care and need
for more funds were: Arkell B. Cook
of Garfield, J. G. Capossela of Emer-
gency, DR.. Montgomery Blair OF
Children's and Sister Jane OF Prov
idence.
i John A. Reilly, treasurer of the
Chest Federation, also spoke.