Evening star., 1955-01-31
|S-Point Plan
On Health Goes
.ToCapiioI Hill
Presidents S Program
Places Emphasis
On Reinsurance
By Gornett D. Homer

lection to more people as part
Of a broad program to help
achieve better health for o
stronger America"
The eight-point health pro-
gram he laid before Congress
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Text Of Health Prosrom on Page "A
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in q special message also calls
for action to:
!. Stimulate construction Of
hospitals and other modern
health facilities through q Gov
ernment mortgage insurance
program.
2. Improve medical care of
people on relief roles by separate
Federal matching of State and
local expenditures in this field.
8. Expand training of prac-
tical nurses and specialists
through grants to States and
establishment of Partnerships by
the Public Health Service.
4. Strengthen present public
health programs providing serv-
ices for mothers and crippled
children, as well as those for
controlling air and water pollu-
ton.
5. Step up measures for preven-
ton and control of mental ILL
ness through greater aid to
States.
s. Improve services for preven-
ton and treatment of juvenile
delinquency through new grants
to the States.
Z. Raise the United States
contribution to the World Health
Organization so as to increase
international cooperation in
"the effort to release men from
the bondage Of disease"
Costs Not Revealed
The Presidents message did
not specify the costs Of any OF
his proposals. He emphasized
that his recommendations were
designed to encourage private
effort, with private funds for
meeting what he called q three
fold deficiency" in the Nations
effort to reduce the impact OF
disease on Americans.
He explained that the def
ciencies lie In inability Of many
Americans to pay the costs Of
needed medical care. shortages
Of hospitals In some areas, and
critical shortages Of trained per-
sonnel required to prevent and
control disease.
For most Americans. Mr..
Eisenhower said. private, volun-
tary insurance provides a sound
and effective method Of meeting
unexpected hazards in medical
expenses. But, he said many
health insurance policies now
are too limited in scope" and
are not available to enough
people.
He asserted that Federal re-
insurance expansion of private
health insurance plans would
encourage voluntary organiza-
tions to provide better protec-
tion, particularly against expen-
sive illness. and extend coverage
to millions Of additional people.
He urged Congress to authorize
"a reasonable capital fund" this
year to be used as necessary to
"reinsure three broad areas for
expansion in private voluntary
health insurance"
Reinsurance Provisions.
The reinsurance would cover
health insurance plans provid-
ing:
l. Protection against "the high
cost of severe or prolonged ILL
ness"
2. Coverage for individuals and
families in predominantly rural
areas.
{ 8. Coyerage for those OF aver
age or lower income against
medical care costs In the home
and physicians Office as well as
in the hospital.
Mr.. Eisenhower emphasized
that such program involves
no Government subsidy and no
Government competition with
private insurance carriers" He
added that "the time has come
to put such a program to work
for the American people,"
Further details presumably
viii be presented to congress
sional committees by the De-
partment Of Health, Education
and Welfare