Evening star., 1952-03-24
House Unit Gets Plea
OF Private Hospitals
For Higher Payment
By WoIIoce {. Clayton

For Higher Payment
By WolIoce {. Clayton
The plight Of District voluntary
hospitals can be compared with
that Of q building whose support
ing structures are being destroyed
by termites." " q spokesman for the
District Medical Society told q
District appropriations subcom-
mittee in testimony on the city's
budget.
DIR. Crenshaw D. Briggs, chair
man Of the society's Committee
on INDECENT Care, said "the build
ing might outwardly appear
strong. but soon 1t must surely
collapse as its foundations
|crumble."
DR.. Briggs painted this picture
in pleading for funds for in
creased payments to District
private hospitals caring for In
|digent patients.
Private hospital officials here
are seeking restitution Of q $247.-
500 item slashed from the Health
Department budget by the Conn
miSsionerS. The Commissioners
budget, as sent to Congress. calls
Tor 100000 for payment to Dis
trict contract hospitals for In
digent patient care. This pay
ment would be at the rate Of So
Q day for in-patients and So q
clinic visit.
Charges Tampering.
Under the original budget re-
quest submitted by the Health
Department. the hospitals would
nave been reimbursed at q rate
or $12.50 q day for in-patients,
the same amount that Gallinper
Hospitals officials estimate 4
costs to maintain a patient there
In reference to this budget cut
Or. Briggs told the legislators:
Whoever is responsible for
this, I charge with tamperine
with the future level Of medical
care in the District"
Dr.. Briggs scored any further
attempts BY the District. to CEN
tralize INDECENT patient care Al
Gallinger Hospital, terming s,ich
proposals ridiculous" Health
Omcer Daniel L. Seckinger re-
Gently asked that more emergency
INDECENT patients be taken to Gal
linger Hospital. rather than 70
one OF the eight contract hos
pitals. This request cannot be
acted upon without formal ac-
ton BY the Commissioners.
The medical society spokesman
pointed out the private hospitals
cannot obtain internes and resi-.
dents II they do not have suf.
ncient INDECENT patients to main.
tain their teaching programs.
Higher Income Needed.
Other witnesses. pointing to the
severe financial losses Of private
hospitals In the last few wears
said the hospitals must have in.
creased incomes II they are q
keep on treating indigents.
Charles S. Dewey, president al
GARFIELD Hospital, said that In.
|stitution had lost $45,54l Ia the
last three and q half years ou
ltreatment Of patients who were
the responsibility Of the District
This loss represents the differences
between the amount paid the hos
lpital by the District and the cos
TO the hospital for caring for the
patients.
He said Emergency Hospital
which handles q higher number
lot emergency patients, had los,
|$109. .203 over the same period.
$533,550 Deficit.
James II. Lemon, president q,
lChildren's Hospital, said that In.
lstitution showed an indigend
Ipatient care deficit Of $685., $685.
from 1947 to 1851. During much
LOT this time, he said, it cost the
hospital $i5.64 to care for q bed
patient. Yet the District only
paid 50 of this.
Fl know Of no other commodity
Ior service or anything the District
government pays q price for un.
less they pay cost and usually i
Iproflt," he said. "That Qoss) q
too staggering to take"
DR.. Richard T. Sullivan, repre-.
Isenting the Federation Of Citizens
associations, presented q resolu.
ition passed by that group asking
10 continued distribution Of pa
ltients between the eight voluntary
hospitals and the municipally
owned Gallinger Hospital. Ths
resolution also called on Congres.
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