Evening star., 1949-05-01


stration leaders on Capitol Hill as
The Hill bill Is the shortest and
simplest of the three health bills
before the committee. All its
provisions are set down in 20
printed pages, to 81 for Taft
bill and 1853 for the Truman bill.
which was introduced In the Sen
ate by Senator Thomas Of Utah,
chairman Of the Labor and Public
Health Committee. The Hill bill
states specifically that, If enacted
it is to be known as the voluntary
Health Insurance Act" It pro-
poses first pay for the medical
care Of persons financially unable
to pay all or part Of subscription
charges for prepayment Of hos
pital and medical care. Second.
it would stimulate voluntary en-
rollment in prepayment plans for
hospitals and medical care,
emphasizing employer participa-
tion In transmission Of subscrip-
tion charges. and enrolment in
rural areas. Third, 1t would
strengthen and coordinate ex-
isting health resources.
In both the Hill and Taft bills,
the States are paramount in
operation of the health programs,
with the Federal Government
making grants of money to assist
in carrying out the purposes. The
Truman bill. on the other hand,
while it gives the impression that
control and operation of the
health program is to be decen-
tralized, still leaves the Federal
Government on top of the heap.
Senator Hills Views
Senator Hill, commenting upon
the administration plan, said:
"A compulsory system Of health
insurance carries within it the
danger of greatly impairing the
entire system Of medical practice
in this country. We believe that
the present system, Of medical care
has been too valuable. too effective
and too useful through the years
to throw 1t aside for new system
which might not work.
The last thing we want Is an
abundance Of poor hospitals and
poor medical care. Our existing
system has produced a quality OF
care which is the equal Of any
that has been developed anywhere
in the world. The reason 1t has
grown and continues to grow is
that it has grown naturally. You
cannot build a tree. Our prob
lem is to take our existing system
and continue to make 1t bigger /
and better"
Under the Taft bill. q new
health agency is created. an in
dependent agency. which will cen
tralize the activities Of the Federal
Government relating to health. It
provides for transfer to the Ma
tional Health Agency the Public
Health Service. st. Elizabeths
Hospital and the Food and Drug
Administration. Like the Hill bill,
the Taft measure is designed to
encourage the development Of
voluntary medical. dental and
hospital insurance plans operated
not for profit.
The Truman bill calls for pay
roll tax insurance to provide medi-
cal. dental and hospital care for
about 1000, 900 Americans. The
tax would be per cent on wages
and salaries up to 4,800. one half
of the tax to come out Of the en-
ploye's wages and one-half from
the employer. This would be in
addition to other Federal payroll
taxes, including social security. 1t
has been estimated that the pro-
gram of medical aid would cost
about $4,000, ,000, 900. to be cared
for by the payroll tax and such
additional Federal appropriations
as may be necessary.
Other Health Matters
Senator Hill takes the position
that while for eight years the pros
and cons of a complete new sys-
tenn of Federal compulsory health
insurance have been argued-the
first bill for such system was
offered in 1939-voluntary agen-
cies have gone ahead to provide
protection against the costs Of
hospital and medical care to near
ly one-third of the population.
"In 1885," he said. "the Blue
Cross plans for hospital care had
only 5000, 900 people enrolled and
today they protect more than 49,
100000. The Blue Shield plans
for medical care have enrolled
about 10000, 900, and commercial
insurance companies have enrolled
considerable numbers. A recent
survey shows that on December 81.
1947, an estimated So. .548. 900 indi-
-.