Evening star., 1949-04-22

This is the tert of President
Truman's message asking Con-
creSs to enact q comprehensive
health program:
In q special message to the Con-
gress on November 10, 1945, and In
a number Of messages since that
date, I have recommended the
enactment of comprehensive legis-
lation to improve the health Of our
people.
The issues involved in these rec
concentrations have been debated all
over the country-in congressional
hearings, in medical societies, and in
public forums. Out Of all this dis
cussion has come q large measure
of agreement. There has been in
creasing recognition of the need for
positive, planned action to bring ade-
quate health services within the
reach of all our people. With re-
spect TO most of my recommends
tions, there Is no longer any sub
stantial difference of opinion.
Legislation has already been en-
acted which is helping substantially
to provide better health services and
medical care. For example, Federal
funds are now being made available
to help in building badly needed
hospitals. The Federal Govern
ment's programs of medical research
have been expanded. Additional
grants have been made available to
the States to aid in establishing and
maintaining public health services
Broader Action Needed.
However, the action thus fal
taken falls far short of our goal OF
adequate medical care for all oul
citizens. If we are to deal with the
problem realistically and in its true
dimension, action Is required on O
broader scale.
We are in an era Of startling
medical progress. The technica
resources available to the physician
are tremendously greater than
generation ago. But to make thess
resources effective, he must uss
much more complicated, more exact
equipment. He must turn to special
ized laboratories and technicians fol
help. He must apply new tech.
niques and must secure more
effective drugs and appliances.
AS a Nation we have not yet
succeeded in making the benefits
of these scientific advances avail
able to all those who need them
The best hospitals, the finest re.
search laboratories, and the most
skillful physicians are Of no value
to those who cannot obtain their
services.
Now that we have the medical
knowledge that can bring good
health within OUR reach to de.
gree heretofore undreamed of, we
must improve the means for putting
that knowledge to practical use
Good health is the foundation ol
q nations strength. It is also the
foundation upon which better
standard of living can be built fol
individuals. To see that our people
actually enjoy the good health that
medical science knows how to pro.
vide is one of the great challenges
to our democracy.
.Two-Fold Objective.
Our objective must be two-fold
to make available enough medica
services to 60 around, and to SEE
that everybody has chance tc
obtain those services. We cannot
attain one part Of that objective
unless we attain the other as well
Our needs are plain. We are, ant
shall be for some time, short ol
physicians, dentists, nurses, medica
technicians and public health work
ers. We need more hospitals anc
clinics. Medical personnel and facil'
tiles are unevenly located In rela'
ton to the need in different part
of the country-and are particularly
deficient in rural areas. We neee
broader, better supported medical re.
search. We need much more atten-
ton to preventive health care and
more adequate public health services
Most of all, we need more wide
spread use of the modern method
of paying for medical care through
prepaid insurance.
There is, so far as I am aware
no longer any significant disagree
ment on these basic objectiveS. And
there is general agreement that the
financial problem Is at the base of
our difficulties.
Calls for Health Insurance.
My first recommendation Is that
the Congress enact legislation pro-
viding for a Nationwide system OF
health insurance.
The traditional method OF pay
ing for medical care cannot meet
the health needs of today. As medi-
cal education and practice have
become better, they have become
more specialized and at the same
time more expensive. AS treatment
has become more expensive, fam
lilies have found it more and more
difficult to meet the extraordinary
costs of accidents. serious illness
or major surgery. Thus, at the
same time that our knowledge OF
how to provide medical care Is at
its highest point, more and more
people are unable to afford 1t. 1t
is no longer just the poor who are
unable to pay for all the medical
care they need-such care Is now
beyond the means Of all but the
upper income groups.
This is an anomalous situation.
It can and should be met through
social insurance. Under such sys-
tenn, regular contributions to the
insurance fund will replace irreg-
ular, often overwhelming. family
outlays for medical care.
Insurance against the costs OF
medical care has been growing rap
idly In this country In recent years.
This growth is proof that our people
understand the advantages OF
health insurance and desire its ex-
tension.
Voluntary Plans Inadequate.
Unfortunately, however. voluntary
plans have proved inadequate tc
meet the need. Most voluntary
plans give only very limited protec'
tion. While some $4,000, 900 people
now have some form Of health In
s,,rance this insurance usually pro-