The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1961-12-01

where or from whom he receives
medical-hospital attention.
"The means test, the Investigations
the process of determining under thu
unsupported method" she said, "i
cumbersome, unwieldly, demoralizins
to the recipient and fraught with the
seeds of community bitterness such
as we find in all welfare programs
Recipients of our tax largess are toe
often put under unbearable pressures
to save tax dollars.
"Tax-supported programs encom-
pass all the evils of complete con-
troll by the State. When the cost
becomes burdensome they are cur
tailed by increasing the pressures
on recipients" and the health needs
of the elderly become of secondary
Importance.
AS for private insurance plans, she
said these 'are costly and out of
reach for too many of the retired
people in this country. They offer
no peace of mind or security to those
who manage to maintain them as
there is constant fear of cancella-
tion.''
"The soundest approach" she con-
tended is Through Social Security
which has all the elements of pro-
tecting free men in a free society.
1t provides the ingredients of dig
nifty, security, and self-respect that
can be attained through no other pro-
gram yet proposed 1t will provide
us with freedom of choice :. security
when we need it most care with
dignity and by right because we have
paid for it ourselves. Freedom from
fear of dependency or poverty will
add peace and comfort to our lives
as we grow older.
to exert in our democratic society
to supply ourselves with services
vital to our well-being through
our government if necessary" :
she concluded.
NEED FOR
DR.. Little, in much shorter talk,
opened by questioning whether there
S problem of need of such proper
ions as to warrant placing health
ARE under Social Security. He said
he didn't "know of a single person
n Lewis & Clark county in need and
lot able to get help. And, he pointed
tut that he and other Helena doctors
give much free medical care
o INDECENT aged, some of whom come
o him in preference to going to the
ounty-specified doctors.
ANA, after a controversial survey
" Wayne University, is of the opin-
on there is only a limited need for
dditional health care for the aged,
e said, and he asserted that of the |
sic million over 65 years, 96 per
ent owe no money for medical care. |
If this block of our population,
MAS survey shows, he continued:
33 per cent are working and able
0 pay for health care out of current |
arnings; 2. % per cent live with
heir children; 3. Cd per cent of the
Sic million have voluntary health
are plans they pay for.
In essence, the Helena doctor
that only a most limited
few of the over-65 age group are
not able to secure adequate care,
and he opined that Kerr-Mills and
Public Welfare by and large will
take care of these limited few.
Kerr-Mills, he said, is more ade-
uate than the Kennedy Administra-
on's Social Security proposal en-
odied in the Anderson-King bills of
lie first session of the 87th Congress.
he Administration proposal, he
lid, wouldn't take care of an elderly
erson's medical bill-only hospitan-
ation, nursing home care, etc. +
He also objected to any arbitrary
inimum age, such as 65, when a
erson would be eligible for prepaid
ealth care under Social Security.
Some people, ','1he said, fare old at
}. Others are still igoing strong at
j." The arbitrary minimum, he con-
nded, is mot equitable or fair"
either is ii fair he continued "to III