Evening star., 1949-04-25

per cent @. tns Sassoak payrol
each year through 1854 Fo< ttse
next three years The Government
would supply an arncgr. equal
to one per cent ot TIE pAy-as!
Sponsors Of the bill estimate
saas al cs that would total Aeca,
81. coo aoQ 600 q year Il would ee
used 70 provide rae1ica!. dental
and hoSpsia! care and other sers-
ices. including eye glasses. hearing
AIDS and other special appliances
for nearly al wAse and salary
earnsrS.
Railroad workers are the main
group excluded from the insurance
program. They are covered gr1oe!
their own retirement laS.
Other Proposals Outlined.
Besides the insurance plan. the
bill provides fo,
!. Federal grants 70 States for
existing schools Of medicine den
tistry, nursing, public health and
sanitary engineering,
2. Federal aid for expansion o'
schools and construction Of new
ones.
3. Scholarships for students al
such schools
4. Broad authority for the
United States Surgeon General 10
carry out research IN such fields
as polionyelitis. diabetes. aTth-
ritis and rheumatism. multiple
scleroslS. cerebral palsy and ep!-
lepSy.
5. A big increase In Federal aid
TO States for hospital cons;rue-
ton
6. A program Of grants and
loans designed 10 encourage doc
tors. nurses. dentists and other
trained personnel 70 practice in
rural or other shortage areas. and
for the construction OF clinics and
other facilities In such areas.
7. A five-year program OF Fed
eral aid to farmers experimental
health co-operatives.
8. An increase In grants for
expansion of State and local pub
lie health services.
Q. A new program OF Federal
grants for research projects re
lating TO the development Of cs1il-
dren and the community aspects
OF child life" The money would
go to universities and other child
research institutes.
10. An increase in the present
grants in aid for maternal and
child health and for crippled
childreu's services.
Free Choice Of Doctor Offered.
Insured persons eligible for |
benefits under the National Health !
program would be en-.
titled TO medical and dental serv-
ice from general practitioners aud
specialists. They also would quail. |
ify for home nursing care. hospita!
care. laboratory service. x-rays, !
prescribed medicines, as
well as eye glasses and special
The bill specifies that every
patient would have free choice OF
a doctor. and the right to change
physicians.
On the other hand, doctors,
dentists. nurses and hospitals
could decide whether to partici-
pate in the program. And they
could accept or reject patients.
The bill outlines a choice Of
methods for payments to doctors.
They could be on fee-for-seryice
basis. as Is generally the case at
present: on a basis Of so much for
every patient treated; on salary
basis: or a combination OF all
those methods, or some entirely |
different method decided upon by
the doctors on the particular area.
Member Board Provided.
The bill provides for creation Of
a five-member National Health |
Board to Ak policy |
under the general supervision OF
the Federal Security Administra-
tor. The President would appoint |
three of the members. subject TO
Senate approval. At least one OF
those would have to be a doctor.
The other two members would be
the United States Surgeon Gen.
ii