Evening star., 1949-05-01
Con-

SOu
Under compulsory health insur.
ance. say its opponents. voluntar.
plans would be dead.
! People who already were pay
ing for complete medical care
would be reluctant to join volun.
tary plans. even to supplement
many services the Government
could not provide. Under com
plete coverage by sickness insur.
ance." there obviously would bs
no need for voluntary plans.
The leaders of voluntary plan!
realize their deficiencies. But ths
tremendous growth of the volun.
tary enrolment movement during
the last decade indicates it!
strength and its acceptance by &
vast segment Of the public. Lead.
ers realize these plans must in.
crease benefits and make par.
ticipation policies more liberal.
But these are evolutionary de.
velopments. which no more car
be done overnight than can the
Government live up to it's lavish
promises.
Several Programs Under Way.
Several important programs to
bring about these developments
already are under way.
The largest is formation of &
National Blue Cross company
which will offer standard bene.
fits and rates on National basis
It's development has been spurreo
by rapid growth of huge indus.
trial health and welfare funds
Such benefits are an increasingly
essential part of current Nationa
labor union demands. With g
stabilization of the price spiral
they are certain to become more
important.
At present, Blue Cross (hospital
prepayment plan) is not in a posi-
tion to offer a National contract
with standard rates and benefits
Industries demand uniform rates
and benefits for all their employees
wherever they are, under such q
contract. But rates and benefits
vary in different areas, according
to local plans that cover them.
Company Planned.
So the Blue Cross Commission
plans to form a company which
could subsidize-with cash pay
ments-benefits in plans below q
set standard. 1t then would be
able to quote a standard rate fol-
the widespread 'coverage. The
commission has asked member
plans for contributions to raise q
$500, 900 fund for its operations
The company later will have te
qualify as an insurance carrier
In States.
Failure of the American Medi-
cal Association to indorse this Ma
tional program for medical care
has restricted the project thus
far to disqualification coverage
But after the company is formed
officials hope the medical groups
will join.
But the plans are not only fol
middle Income groups, able to pay
rates. Under other bills already
introduced in Congress. State,
could buy this protection on 8
voluntary basis for residents un.
able to afford it themselves.
Bluntly blaming the attitude
of organized medicine for many
past deficiencies. DR.. Paul r
Hawley. Blue Cross and Blue
Shield head. said voluntary plan.
which give full protection against
hospital costs are mot only pos.
sible but most desirable" While
such protection against doctors
bills is not yet possible. medica
plans are making rapid strides.
Two Factors Listed.
Two factors make medical care
an ideal risk for insurance, DR.
Hawley declared. One is that II
is a necessity. The other is that
its need can be predicted with
reasonable accuracy in the mass.
But it is one of the few necessities
which can't be planned for indi-
viduals.
THE inescapable fact" he de-
clared, ''is that people will spend
almost their last cent for auto
mobiles and fur coats, and lay
nothing by for unexpected neces-
stiles. I don't believe that the
medical profession or any one else
can change human nature to the
extent Of persuading any great
number of people to budget per-
sonally for medical care" =
Voluntary plan leaders believe
their greatest job Is one OF educa-
ton. They point out enrolment
in the plans has grown from 16,-
000, 900 in January, 1945. to more
than 10000. 600 at present. Mil
lions of other persons are covered
through cash indemnity payments
in case of sickness by commercial
insurance firms.
Field Service Authorized.
Blue Cross officials have author
lied q field service to help improve
operative efficiency of member
plans. Their sights are aimed at
a National enrolment program
that would accept enrolment from
individuals. regardless Of whether
they belonged to employe groups
The commission is working on
an Inter-Plan Service Benefit
Bank. This bank will reimburse
plans which pay hospitals in their
communities for treating persons
enrolled In q Blue Cross plan else
where.
In stating his case for the vol
untary plans. DR.. Hawley said:
80 long as the consumer does
not dictate the pattern Of medical
practice. as long as he does not