Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-01-08
Javits Plans
New Bill on
Medical Care
BY WILLIAM GRIGG
Star Staff Writer


Senator Javits, Republican of
New York, announced today he
VIII introduce a compromise
Dill that can unite all sup
porters of a medical care for
the aging program, both Re-
publicans and Democrats, and
insure its passage this year"
Like the Kennedy backed bill,
the Senator's accepts social Sc
curlty financing. But persons
wishing to continue private in
surance could get a refund of
up to 500 a year on their
taxes paid to social security.
The Javits bill would permit
persons to select one of three
alternative programs of health
care for persons IS and over:
l. A preventive, diagnostic
and short-term illness plan
with specified benefits per
year. These would provide for
II days Of hospital care, So days
OF nursing home care Qess any
days of disqualification at a
ratio of three nursing home
days per hospital day., IL visits
by physicians, $500 of the cost
OF ambulatory diagnostic, lab
oratory or X-ray services and
"a days of visiting nurse or
other home care services.
LOng-Term Plan
2. A long-term catastrophe
or chronic illness plan some
what like private major medi-
cal" plans. This would provide
30 per cent of the cost, after
the first $3.50, for 100 days of
hospital care, surgical service,
drugs and appliances provided
in hospital, 1865 days of nurs-
ing home service less hospital
days (again at a ratio of three
nursing home days per hospital
day. and full visiting nurse or
other home care benefits.
3. Private insurance benefits
for those wishing to continue
private plans. These persons
would be reimbursed up to 500
in cash for their annual social
security premium payments.
The JavitS plan would be
administered by the States un-
der agreements with the Secre-
tary of Health, Education and
Welfare.
The States, if they wished,
could add extra benefits at
their own cost.
Would Boost Taxes
Senator Javits would finance
the plan under social security,
with tax rates for employer and
employees each increased by
one-fourth of per cent of the
first $4,000 in wages beginning
in 1868, and by an additional
one-eighth of l per cent be-
ginning in 1878. The self
employed would pay three
eighthS of l per cent begin
ming in 1868, and an additional,
three-sixteenthS Of / per cent
beginning in 1878.
The costs of benefits of those
not covered by social security
would be financed out of gen.
eral revenue.
The bill would cover for
health care all persons IS and
over, including those not now
receiving social security bene-
fits.
The King Anderson bill
backed by the administration
would not cover 3 million per-
sons IS or over who are not
now under social security.
The King-Anderson bill calls
for a plan administered by the
Health, Education and Welfare
Department, not the States.
This Democratic plan would
increase the Social Security tax
wage base from $4,000 to $4,000
and would provide rate in
creases beginning in 1868 of
one-fourth of l per cent on
employer and employee for the
first $4,000 of wages and three
eighths of l per cent on the
first $4,000 for the self-em-
ployed.
The King-Anderson bill pro-
vides disqualification and rela-
ted benefits.