Evening star., 1949-04-28
Health Insurance

SS
Second Q
BY Geors'
Does the Nation need
insurance?
YES
Yes! Say administration lead
ers. labor groups and many othel
organizations.
Federal Security Administrator
| Oscar r. Ewing and other pro
ponents of the plan, explain 1t thii
way:
The crux of the whole question
| Of better health is the simple mat
ter of paying for it. Expanded re
search, doctor training. more ant
better hospitals and basic public
health are essential parts o.
Presidents Truman's program
Good care must be available Il
the public. But it loses i'm.
portance if the public can
afford to get it.
II you are an average citizen
paying for the things yoa
get and maintaining q decenI
standard of living. you won't b'
able to stand a catastrophe i'll
ness that might easily cos
thousands of dollars. In such Al
illness, you would be out Of
job, at least temporarily.
Too many people neglect goini
to a doctor for minor his because
they don't have the money. Man,
of these ills could be prevented
from becoming serious. Ane
only the wealthy can afford really
good preventive care.
People Avoided Charity.
Most proposals calling fol-
grants to States for development
of their own program would re-
quire that people admit they are
charity patients. This wouldn''
work, Administration leaders feel
because most Americans don''
like to take charity. And, more
important, they don't like to ash
for 1t.
| Compulsory health insurance Ii
not q dole. Every one would bt
paying his own way, according tt
his ability. based on a fair pay
roll tax Of Ia per cent OF hi
earnings. The medically in
digent" would fade out Of th'
picture, because this plan woule
cover nearly every one.
American medicine has made
tremendous strides. But expense!
pile up with every advancement
The public must find way to bs
able to afford them and the ad'
vancements that are to come
Compulsory health Insurance.
should work better In this country
than anywhere in the world, = be.
cause it takes a strong system o1
medicine to make it work.
American medicine is rightfull!
proud that doctors have variet
fees in accordance with patient'
ability to pay. This Is just wha1
the compulsory plan would do.
Further than that, however. Ii
the relief that would come from
the worry about unpredictabls
medical bills. These expenses
cannot be a part of the average
family budget. because their sizs
and frequency can't be planned.
Brookings Recommends tions Cited
The Brookings Institution las
year made a comprehensive stud!
of compulsory health insurance
proposals that was generally un'
favorable to the proposals. Ont
Of its major recommendations Wa
that such issues be left for State'
| t6 determine in their own pro,
grams.
Replying to the report, Dr
Michael Davis. chairman OF th'
Committee on Research in Medi
cal Economies, answered that ever
this recommendation seems to b'
acceptance in principle or at leas
toleration" of compulsory insur'
ance.
Mr.. Ewing, in his report to the
President last year on the Nation
health, said compulsory insurance
must be the heart of a co-ordi'
mated plan to improve 1t. To com
plants of great cost. he an
swered that the Government mus,
accept its responsibility to spend
more for health.
He declared that every veal
325, 900 people die whom we have
the knowledge and the skills te
save"
Another indication of the ma
tional need for Better health car
i be found In study of draft re-
jections during the last war. More
than 5000, 900 men were deter
mined UNIT for service, MIR. Ewint
said.
Six Billion Yearly.
Exclusive of health insurance
he proposed that the Federal Gov
ernment alone spend $2,3l2.'
900 ,000 on civilian health bq 1860
authorities concede there is NJ
way to estimate exact costs oi
compulsory health insurance. bu
1.-The most frequent figure men
ltioned~is $4,000. 900 900 every year
most Of it paid by people who ge
1.-THE benefits.
Citing the large amounts spen
on medical care alrsady. Senator
Humphrey, Democrat, of Mime.
sofa. said the insurance plan i.
probably the greatest econom,
program we have ever had" be-
cause of savings thaat would re-
suit from better health.
For the vast majority Of wage
earners. Mr.. Ewing said. q nation
nj health Insurance rr0rra n