Evening star., 1949-02-21
Health Plan Debates
Inject Talk Of Costs
Ranging Info Billions
BY The Assecioisd Press

kdnyIny MIU DIIlIUlS
BY The A,seeioisd Press
Talk of costs ranging into bill
lions Of dollars was injected today
into the controversy over National
health programs put forward by
the administration and by the
American Medical Association.
A Voluntary Committee for the
Nations Health, backing the Tru-
man National Health insurance
program, challenged the ANA to
come forward with estimates on
costs of the program ANA has ad-
vanced.
This committee, headed by DR..
Charming rockingham of Boston
contended that one point alone in
the ANA plan-care rehabilitation
of the aged and those with
chronic disease-would cost the
taxpayers billions of dollars.
Countering this. DR.. George
Fairless Lull, AMA's general man.
ager, estimated in Chicago that
the administration health plan
before Congress would cost $l8.-
000. 100000 year lust as q
starter"
DR.. Lull. former deputy surgeon
general of the Army. said in 9
statement that the Government
plan probably would take 10 pei
cent from every payroll. He said
he used the Veterans Administra-
ton as a yardStick In reaching his
figures.
DR.. Frothingham's committee
said ANA has made no estimate
of the cost of its plan or of SUBJ
sidizing "AMA-controlled volun-
tary insurance plans" although it
has criticized the Truman program
as too expensive.
In a statement the committee
said:
I'VE challenge the ANA to make
such estimates. They might dis
close that organized medicine is
more concerned over who controls
the finances Of medical care than
how much it costs the people"
| President Truman is expected to
send Congress a message soon on
the whole subject of National
health. He previously has in
dorSed a broad insurance program
put forward by Security Admins
traitor Oscar Ewing.
It has been proposed that the
administration plan be financed
like the Social Security and old
age benefits. by a compulsory pay
roll tax shared equally by en-
ployer and employe. Legislation
already has been introduced in
Congress calling for health service
through prepaid Government in
surance.
DR.. Frothingham's committee
described itself as heading up the
drive for President Trumans
health insurance program. in op-
position to the ANA"
Committee members associated
with the former president of the
Massachusetts Medical Society in
clude: Mrs. Franklin D. Roose-
welt, David Sarnoff. president OF
the Radio Corp. Of America; Pres
idents William Green of the Amer
ican Federation Of Labor. and
Philip Murray Of Congress Of In
dustrial Organizations. and others
| The committee described the
ANA plan as a fancy press re.
lations job" 1t said the ANA pro-
posal Is designed to obscure the
AMA's stubborn opposition to any
program which would bring med.
ical care within the means Of the
average man." -.
The ANA is openly opposing the
Truman health program and has
made plans TO raise $500 .00C
from members assessments ia
fight it.
DR.. Lull, in his statement. said
that in the 1948 fiscal year the
VA spent $31l 100000 dollars on
its impatient service. He said
that II such care privileges were
extended to all veterans. it would
cost the VA three times as much
or 1898 .000,0 Under existing
laws. only veterans whose disa-
bilities were service connected are
given free medical care. but when
beds become available. other vet
Grams may be admitted free.
Estimating that veterans COM
prise one-eighth of the popula-
ton, DR.. Lull figured that a Ma
ton wide impatient service, on
the VA scale. would cost $7,464,-
00O. 900.
Other costs, DR.. Lull said, would
be as follows:
Dental care-$1 ,320 900, 900.
Home town or out-patient med
ical care-$1. $50 200. 900.
Auxiliary professional personnel
in hospitals to assist doctors, den
lists and nurses-$6,4 ,457 ,536 900.
Auxiliary professional personnel
in private offices-$1 1927 .453:000.