The Sidney herald., 1961-07-26
Medical Care For.
Needy Taken Care
OF By Montanans

WdSIllIlSIOIl 1ulC PCOPAG VI
Montana are attending to the
medical care problems of their
needy citizens and they are do
ING it with little help from the
federal government, according to
testimony of the Montana Medi-
cal Association prepared for pre-
sentation to the Committee on
Ways and Means of the U. 5.
House of Representatives.
DR.. John A. Layne, Great Falls,
represented the Montana Medi-
cal Association before the COM
mi.tee. DR.. Layne is a former
president of the association.
The House committee is con-
Quoting two weeks of hearings on
the King Bill Oh. R. 1929 which
would provide limited hoSpitali-
cation and nursing home care
for social security recipients by
increasing the payroll taxes on
workers and employers.
DR.. Layne testified that "the
medical and hospital care activi-
ties of the public welfare pro-
gram are financed entirely by
county funds except IN rare in
stances where a county has lev
led the maximum permiSsive tax
and is still unable TO finance {
complete care program"
He said that for the II months
which ended April 80 this year
the Sc Montana counties Speu'
So, 844, 992 for medical and hos.
p1bal care for fndigentS of al
ages.
In addition, he said, the state.
$50 physician members of tn,
Montana Medical Association pro
v3ded S1,974,000 in free medica
care to needy Montana citizens
physicians of Montana nav
always provided medical car
for all person whenever neceS
. sary, regardless of the patient
ability to pay" DR.. Layne said.
5 The Great Falls physician Sal
that even the Kerr-Mills Mcdic
Aid for the Aged Law passed L
Congress last year is unneceSSa1
in Montana. This law authorize
!, the states and the federal goN
eminent to cooperate in finant
ing programs providing full med
cal care TO rthe needy and nea
needy.
DR.. Layne said that last ia
after passage of the Kerr-MIl
Law, the Montana Department
Public Welfare surveyed welfa
boards of the Sc counties to d
termine whether a Kerr-Mil
program was necessary for Mo.
tana.
Only four of the Sc couu
boards expressed any interest, I
Layne stated, and 81 said that
federal assistance of any ty
was desired in Montana. 9th
boards said a medical care pl
for dependent children and t
disabled seemed more desirab
DR.. Layne said that Bl
Shield in Montana two years q
inaugurated special low-cost me-
cal-Surgical coverage for perS6
90 and over and that phySicis
cooperated with this program
reducing normal fees for beue
Charles.
DR.. Uayne also pointed out t
surveys by the Montana Gov
nor'S Committee on Problems
tile Aging disclosed that ED
ly citizens, in general, tres
further encroachmnt, however
sidious, by cetralized federal c
troll of their individual Eberti'
He said that there are appr
imately $1,000 persons in M
tana SIS and over and that ''by
the majority of this age groul
financially sef-Sufficient."
said that in May this year, 6,
required assistance through p
lie welfare.
DIR. Layne declared that 2
sicianS of Montana oppose
King Bill because it is totally
necessary but they support
Kerr-MiHs program in the st
where it has proven to be
essary." He urged the conn
tee members to recognize I
obligation to the citizens of
country and to preserve the
standard of medical care w
citizens of all ages now enjoy