Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-03-12
ST. E|izabeths
Fund Increased
Above Estimate

! The District Health Depart
ment has asked Congress fol
J 1856, 900 more than st. Elizabeth,
Hospital officials figure will b
needed to pay for city-resident
patients at the mental hospita
next year.
/ During the current fiscal year
city health officials already have
been able to switch 500, 900 in un.
used st. Elizabeths money Il
meet deficits in other health &C,
|tivities.
But in their budget requests fol
the fiscal year starting July /
it was learned today. the depart.
ment is asking for money to pay
for a daily average of 5.45:
patients. despite the facts that:
/. The number of District
patients at st. Elizabeths ha.
Idropped-for the first time ir
recent history-to a daily aver.
'|age of 5,340 during the last 81,
months.
! 2. DR.. Winfred Overholser, st
Elizabeths superintendent. has
told Congress in his own budget
estimate that he anticipates 9
daily average of only $3.50 Dis
Itrict patients in the 1857 fiscal
year.
/ A Sum Computed
Under a newly-established rate
the city must pay the hospital
$5.63 for each District resident
patient-day. At this rate, the diff
ference between city health Of
flcials' and DR.. Overholser's
estimates amounts to 1855 900.
In testimony before a House
Appropriations subcommittee, re-
leased today, Acting Health Di-
rector F. G. Heath acknowl-
edged that the number of Dis
trict patients has dropped SUBJ
Istantially.
/ Under questioning by Sub
committee Chairman Rabaut
however. he said he had been
unable to get anyone "in au-
thority" to state whether the
decline was a real trend or a
freak occurrence that would be
reversed.
DR.. Overholser said no one
from the Health Department has
asked him directly for his opin-
ion on the decrease in patients
His own budget estimates to
Congress, however. reflected a
clear belief that the decline in
patients would continue this
year. Doctors attribute the in
creased patient discharges to
success of new drugs used on
mental patients.
DR.. Overholser said his esti-
mates for the fiscal year start
ing July l anticipate a total
daily average of 7.106 patients.
The average this year is 1924
Picture Most Promising
DR.. Overholser emphasized
that not enough time has elapsed
to justify fiat statements. He
said both patient estimates were
I"guesses." But he said he takes
1.-THE position that the recent pa
tient decreases are most prom
Using"
1--WE used to figure for years
on a net increase of about SO
patients annually" he said
Nov we have a substantial
drop"
/ Health Officer Daniel L. Seek
niger, who did not attend the
House budget hearings, said he
was surprised" at the difference
in estimates, and II definitely
will get in touch with DR.. Over
holser this week"
other department officials
took the position that the Fed
deral Budget Bureau had set the
patient estimates, as well as the
rate the city has to pay the hos
pital.
The Same Difference
The testimony released today
showed that the Health Depart
ment at first said it would have
to provide for a daily average of
5,495 patients at st. Elizabeths
DR.. Heath had testified this
would take $4,000 more than
the current years funds.
Under persistent questioning
by Chairman Rabaut as to why
the patient-load expectation
should not be reduced, the
health officials did agree that
the estimate could be cut by AZ
patients to a daily average of
5,453.
/ But in a statement filed with
the committee later, the depart
ment said higher pay rates
ordered by the Budget Bureau
still required an additional
E$145. 000-precisely the sam e
amount requested before the
adjustment"