Evening star., 1961-01-09
Doctors Score
ANA Stand on
Medical Care

c1ation is backing q "taded
horse" on health care for the
aged that win perpetuate "cut-
rate charity medicine" q doc
tor has told his fellow physi-
clans.
DR.. Elkin Ravetz. Of Philadel-
phia was Joined by DR.. Bene-
dict Duffy Of the Hudson
County IN. j. Medical Society
yesterday in questioning the
ANA approach to financing
medical care, which they said
lis negative.
Both men took the floor dur
ing q question-and-answer ses-
sion at an ANA sponsored
meeting Of physician delegates
to the White House Conference
on Aging. The meeting was
called to review the AAdA's po-
sition on financing medical
costs. About 200 Of approx
|mately 285 doctors at the con-
ference attended the session at
District Medical Society head
quarters.
The ANA opposes O medical
care plan for the aged tied in
with Social Security, which
spokesmen contend is q wedge
for socialized medicine. It has
supported . program for those
made INDECENT by illness, based
on the Kerr Mills bill passed
in the last Congress.
Sees "Cut-Rate" Medicine
DR.. Ravetz contended the
law would provide more "cut-
rate charity medicine as I know
1t Is being practiced with pub
lie assistance recipients In
Pennsylvania"
He was applauded when he
stressed that the ANA should
be known as an organization
that stands for something rath.
er than against progress.
DR.. Duffy also was applsuded
after he expressed doubts about
the Kerr-Mills approach. Not
ing that the ANA contends 1t
must fight fire with fire. he
challenged information issued
by the organization, saying:
Don't flood me with what ]
know isn't true. I am q prac-
titioner. I will stand with you.
But I wish we could all be
Americans first and physicians
second"
Both men scoffed at attempt.
by other doctors to refute crit.
cisms Of the means test In the
Kerr-Mills program. DR.. Duffy
told his associates they would
be slaughtered" II they tried
to explain it away in debates In
conference work groups where
tentative recommendation will
be hammered out.
Social Security 'Dignified"
He suggested that the asso.
citation explore the Social Sc
curity approach further, noting
that Dean Douglas Brown Of
Princeton has called it q con-
servative and dignified meth
cd" Of financing medical care,
DR.. David B. Altman Of New
Jersey, q former president Of
the ANA. took vigorous excep-
ton to DR.. Ravetz's "cut-rate
charity medicine" tag.
He also said the ANA op-
posed only q minority Of bills
pertaining to medicine and then
because they're bad medicine.
Earlier session speakers made
| no bones about ANA members
pressing the associations posi-.
ton vigorously at. the con-
ference.
DR.. Milford o. Rouse Of Dal-
las. vice speaker Of the ANA
House Of Delegates. outlined
the ANA stand on financing
medical care.
The doctors applauded when
he concluded: Make sure you
are acquainted with the posi-
ton of medicine itself. Know
your State recommendations
Don't be afraid to stand up fol
your principles and you'll have
a most satisfying week."
United Front Urged
DR.. Theodore Klumpp. presi-
dent Of Winthrop Laboratories
in New York, contended doc
tors have to present q united
front in self-defense.
At an earlier national con-
ference on aging doctors as in
dividuals were unaware OF
where they were going. while
certain groups" had definite
policies. he said.
I'VE won't come like sheer
to the slaughter this time" he
declared. What we have done
has already raised cries Of
anguish from other groups"
Wilbur ]. Cohen, q Social Sc
curity expert and University OF
Michigan professor. told Presi-
dent Eisenhower In a letter
that organized medicine,
backed by business and insur-
ance interests, had captured
the State delegations.
Doctors and dentists repre-
sent about IL per cent Of the
2,575 delegates attending. Most
are in a section on health and
medical care. but physicians
will be well represented on
work groups on financing med
ical costs.
Some doctors have changed
their minds about their work
group choice and would like
to switch, George w. Cooley,
executive secretary Of the ANA
council on medical service,
told the physicians yesterday.