Evening star., 1958-07-03
Blue Cross Rates

IL was the hlueSt OF bad
news from our local Blue
Cross, Group Hospitalization.
Inc, that it will raise its rates
AZ per cent. How the mighty
have fallen! Our local Blue
Cross is one Of the largest
and most efhciently admins
tered in the Nation. Char
tered by Congress as o char
table and benevolent insti-
tuition. it was q bipartisan
attempt to solve the post-de-
preston challenge. the crush
ing cost Of major health Sc
curity. All Of US were hurt,
the rich and poor alike. And,
facing a common peril and
tragedy. all Of US solemnly
promised to fairly share the
common burden. To that
end, Congress exempted our
Group disqualification, Inc.
from taxes except for real es-
tate and from the statutes
regulating insurance, in this
the Nations voteless Capital.
This must be mentioned be-
cause it reaffirms the factual:
Congress and the President
exercise dictatorial fiscal and
administrative authority over
US, its creatures. It is no fic-
ton to say, our local Blue
Cross is one Of them.
Organized labor and the
Underwater Association, rep
resenting commercial insur-
ance, demand a rate hearing
by the D. C. Commissioners.
This is done on the ground
no competitor should be out
side the scope Of q regulatory
agency such as CHI, even if
by an act Of Congress.
Neither protest is free of
gall and self-serving. Neither
organized labor nor the un-
derwriterS would accept for
themselves q recent ukase
by our Commissioners to the
effect that our private non
profit hospitals should treat
indigentS for less than their
cost in a tax-subSidized facil-
ity. And, for organized labor
so ptously to protest a price,
hike is like q fire bug blam-
ing his arson on the inflam-
inability Of gasoline. And,
what rule Of equity gives
com m ercia'l underwriters
concern over the operation of
the nonprof1t, community
sharing Of common burdens?
Since when has commercial
insurance concerned itself
with underwriting the def
icits Of social justice and the
general welfare?
Yet this rate-hike should
have q devils advocate to
challenge its cynical sancti-
fieation. The sad mess our
Commissioners have made Of
INDECENT medical care is little
recommendation for their
competence to tell votelesS
taxpayers how to salvage a
nonproflt c o m m u nifty CO.
operative, that is wrecked by
nationwide imitation and
recession.
The one to conduct this
hearing is q proper committee
Of Congress which chartered
this low-cost, nonproflt, self
help community cooperative.
This hearing will disclose
that all Of us have lost our
vision. Like SO MANY Sir
Galahads in search of the
Holy Grail, we once took
VOWS to find solvent ways
and means to help the sick.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield
became the symbols Of that
firm and good resolve. Yet
now, when even the privileged
and solvent tremble for theif
fast-vanishing security, Blue
Cross. chartered by Congress
as q charitable and bene-
VIOLENT institution, hikes It's
charges for those in direst
need. Blue Cross is afraid to
80 in the red at the very time
our whole Nation stands on
the precipice Of insolvency.
What better time to spend
your reserves than when faced
BY the very emergency Blue
Cross was chartered to for
fend?
Thomas z. MattingIy. MD.
Beware Of Snakes
It is possible that q water
moccasin or some other Of
the reptile family viii resent
the intrusion Of q small
group Of patriotic human
beings In the sanctity Of his
home on Roosevelt Island on
July 9Th.
-, 80.