Evening star., 1949-04-29
Ii Would Not:

the plan.
The most Essential thing. they
point out. is that the Government
Is making promises that it can
not fulfill.
The lavish promises Of medical
service benefits on such basis are
not honest. The reason is simply
there are not enough doctors.
dentists. hospitals or nurses to
provide them.
Federal Security Administrator
Oscar r.. Ewing says the pattern
will be cut to fit the CLOTH" But
the pattern-the amount
Of demand for service-nor the
facilities available
are known. This. opponents rea-
son. is simply another way Of
saying only partial health serv-
ices can be provided.
These benefits also would de-
pend on funds available to pay
for them. And If you lived in an
area where only limited facilities
existed. naturally you would have
the chance to get much less care
than a person In a city, although
your share Of payment would be
as high.
Pay Regardless Of Use.
The payroll deduction estimates
could well turn out to be UNDER
That could only mean
higher taxes. And. regardless Of
how large they become, they will
be taken from your pay whether
you choose to use the benefits or
not. even If you are q Christian
Scientist.
Voluntary prepayment insur-
ance plans already furnish pro-
lection against hospital bills and
increasing coverage OF surgery
bills in hospitals. and their costs
are not hazy estimates.
The plan offered through
Group disqualification. Inc. in
Washington, for example. costs an
individual only $1.90 q month for
the surgical and hospital cover
age. It costs 1920 for q man
and wife and $4.75 for . larger
family unit.
But suppose we have sickness
insurance." What will happen to
you?
Your first worry would be
whether you could get on the
"list" Of the doctor you wanted.
II he decided to stay out of the
program, even at first, you would
have to find some one else. Or
II his list became filled, you also
would be out.
Doctors Offices Crowded.
You probably have noticed that
many doctors Offices are crowded
now. Just imagine what it would
be like If patients could walk in
for any minor ailment! Every
one would be tempted to go to
the doctor at the slightest sign
Of sickness.
What this would mean Is that
your doctor could not possibly give
you rs much time as he should.
It is doubtful that he would have
time to make home calls as often
as you, or he. would like.
Recently. insa special dispatch
to The Star. DR.. Reginald Hale
White. vice chairman of the Brit
ish Fellowship for Freedom in
Medicine, had this. to say about
the way compulsory insurance is
working in Britain:
""They (the public) gain in the
matter Of free dentures. spec
tacles and such like; but when
their appetite for such benefits
has been satisfied they will find
at what cost these good things
have been purchased. There will
be q service run by overworked
and tired doctors who cannot find
the time or thought necessary for
good work.
"Souliess" Service.
1.-THE public will find their doc
tors fast becoming civil servants
who are more responsible to
Whitehall than to their patients.
That treasured, though undefln-
able thing. doctor patient rela-
tionship: does not permit Of
third-party interference, and it is
already going fast. In short, the
service will be entirely soulless."
The average doctor opposes
compulsory health insurance be-
cause he fears Government inter-
ference. He believes he can give
better care with q minimum Of
outside direction.
To claims that compulsory
health insurance would be con-
trolled locally. opponents answer
that there must be regulations un-
der Federal direction In any plan
50 large. The administrative force
only to check each
State plan. receive taxes and pay
thousands of doctors, dentists.
nurses and hospitals would have
to be tremendous. on both the
State and Federal levels.
Fraud Forecast.
Chances for error would be 90
great the Government would re-
quire q separate staff Of auditors
and clerks to verify claims. To
check . certain amount Of fraud
which undoubtedly would spring
up, and even routine operations,
how large Q force of investigators
would have to be maintained?
Among the opponents Of health
insurance are many who believe
the Government can 60 too far in
taking responsibilities away from
its citizens. They admit the need
for good health. They don't be-
lieve 1t should be brought about
by removing incentives to keep
and remain self-sufncient.
Most people. they point out,
want to feel their doctors are re-
sponsible to them and to no one
else. II you are not paying the
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