Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1949-04-27


INDECENT" among our population.
and the same freedoms in dealing
But If you do. say its opponents:
Your Government will be start
ing a job it can't finish. In a
short time. this program will be
lowering the quality of medical
care and its progress, regimenting
doctors. destroying health incen-
tives, involving you in endless red
tape and sky-rocketing taxes.
These are fair samples of one of
the most important. bitter-and
cloudy-arguments ever thrown at
the public.
Lines Clearly Drawn.
The battle lines this week are
pretty clearly drawn.
President Truman has asked
Congress again to enact a COM
pulsory insurance program. His
administration forces introduced
bills in the House and Senate
Monday TO carry it out. The
American Medical Association and
other groups are leading opposi-
ton to the program. And Con-
gress has before it other bills
attacking health problems from
other angles.
If you haven't made up your
own mind about how your medical
expenses should be paid, one OF
these groups is as much at fault
as the other.
This is because the issue OF COM
pulsory insurance goes deeper than
whether it is a good idea for the
Nation to pool its health risks and
pay for them out of common
fund. 1t gets to the root OF how
for a government should go in &C
cepting responsibility for the well
fare of its citizens.
The ANA long has held out the
program as the path to socialism
and alright Government control
of medicine. Proponents Of the
plan have applied many of the
same arguments to alternate pro-
posals. In their debates. neither
side has budged an inch.
Hearings Coming Up.
There is little indication there
will be any improvement when the
Senate Labor and Public Welfare
Committee begins a new series OF
hearings, within few weeks, on
the best way to provide and pay
for the Nations health.
Health insurance legislation is
not new. 1t has been argued in
Capitol Hill hearing rooms for
three years, but never before with
such strong impetus for enactment
or so great a volume of opposition
plans.
Chairman Thomas Of the Labor
COMMITTEES and Senator Murray.
Democrat, of Montana, chief spon-
sors of the plan. look for a long,
hard fight on compulsory insur-
ance. While passage this year
seems unlikely, they predict the
legislation will be ready for a pos
sible special session or for the
beginning of the next session. The
hearings probably will last at least
six weeks.
Administration forces, lavish In
promises of health insurance ben
efits. urge coverage Of IS per cent
of the population, including en-
ployed people and their depend
ents, to start with and expansion
of the program to cover much Of
the rest of the population later.
Several Approaches Suggested.
spurred on by the Democratic
sweep last November nearly every
major health or professional group
has come up with its own approach
to the health problem.
Republican Senators Taft Of
Ohio, Smith of New Jersey and
Donnell of Missouri have a bill
stressing large Federal grants to
States that develop programs of
their own for residents unable to
afford medical costs. 1t relies
heavily on voluntary health in
surance plans.
The American Hospital Associ-
alton stands on a three point
program of Federal aid for hos
pital construction. growth of vol
untary insurance plans and &C
ceptance by the Government. of
responsibility for the care of
medical indigents. The ANA has
proposed 12-point program on
all phases of health.
Senator Hill, Democrat, Of Ala
bama heads another group of leg->I
iSlators who propose prepaid
health insurance through volun-
tary plans, with Federal aid toI
help pay for them. Another
voluntary insurance" plan is pro-
posed by a powerful group Of