Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1952-04-06
Social Security Urges
Including Servieemen
In 0|d-Age Benefits
By Robert K. Walsh

By Robert K. Walsh
The Social Security Admins
tration urged yesterday that
members of the Armed Forces be
included in the old-age and sur
vivors insurance system.
The agencys annual report sub
mitted by Commissioner Arthur J.
Altmeyer also proposed hospitali-
cation insurance for insured
workers over IS and for their
dependents and survivor bene-
f1ciaries.
Tied in with this was rec
ommendation for a Nationwide
plan of temporary disability in
surance. This would be "appro-
priately related" to the existing
program of public assistance to
the permanently and totally dis
abled, as well as to old-age and
survivors insurance and unem-
ployment compensation.
The disqualification plan would
cover hospital costs up to 80 days
a year except in institutions for
the mentally i'll or in tuberculosis
hospitals. The report said the plan
would not require higher contribu-
ton rates or new taxes.
Increase in Benefits Urged.
Another major suggestion in the
report forwarded to the President
and Congress by Federal Security
Administrator Oscar r. Ewing
was that present social security
benefits be increased. This would
be both by coverage of additional
groups of people and by liberaliza-
ton of various present provisions
AS for proposed extension of the
social security system to cover
members of the armed services,
Commissioner Altmeyer wrote:
"The most immediate need for
extending the protection of old
age and survivors insurance is in
the field of military service. Our
Armed Forces have more than
doubled during the past year and
a half with the prospect that many
more pepole will enter military
service in the future. The great
majority of them will acquire nc
lasting protection under the serv-
ice retirement programs. Many
will lose some or all of the
protection they had acquired under
old-age and survivors insurance"
The report advised Congress
Immediately to extend wage
credits, for social security pur-
poses, of $160 for each month OF
active military service since the
end of World War II. For the
long-term future, Congress should
provide for full coverage of mill
tary personnel under old-age and
survivors insurance. the report
urged.
Under the existing system, So
cial security costs are met by a
payroll tax at the rate of Ia per
cent on the employer and 112 pei
cent on the employee.
disqualification Suggestion.
In its explanation of the hos
pitalization insurance proposal
the report stated it would not be
practical to increase payments tc
all beneficiaries sufficiently tt
cover hospital expenses, because
the amount of such expenses
varies so greatly.
THE need for insuring bene-
f1ciaries against hospital costs can
be met through old-age and sur
vivors insurance" the report said
THE Social Security AdminiStra-
ton recommends that the pro-
gram provide disqualification in.
surance for insured workers over
IS, whether or not retired, ano
for their dependents and for sur
vivor benef1ciaries.
THAT improvement would en-
able the insurance program tc
do a bigger part of the job OF
providing income for workers who
retire after age IS and for the
families of workers who have
died. But what about workers
forced into premature retirement
by disability?
Proposal on Disability.
Temporary disability, lasting
only few weeks or months, is
of course, less catastrophe than
prolonged disability but it occurs
much more frequently and af-
fects more people. In the absence
of Federal legislation to provide
insurance against temporary dis
ability, only four States have pro-
grams providing cash benefits for
temporary disability.
In order to provide protection
against temporary illness for as
many people as possible at the
earliest possible time the Social
Security Administration recon-
mends a Nationwide program OF
temporary disability insurance ap-
propriately related to permanent
and total disability insurance, old
age and survivors insurance and
unemployment insurance"
Other key recommendations ir
the report were that:
l. Women be permitted to quail.
ify for benefits at the age of 81
instead of IS.
2. The maximum level Of bene-
fits should be increased. Benefits
were increased in 1850. Maximum
pensions for persons over IS nov
are $50 a month for a single