Doctor’s view challenged

Press, 6 August 1983, Page 13

Doctor’s view challenged

An allegation by a Dunedin doctor that private medical insurance companies cater for the well and affluent and do nothing for those least able to cope has been challenged by one of the companies. Dr B. B. Grimmond’s comments were in a Press Association report from Dunedin printed in “The Press,” on August 3. Mr R. R. Smith, managing agent and administrator of the Union Medical Benefits Society, Ltd, said that the society entirely rejected Dr Grimmond’s comments.

Many of the society’s members were among the lowest-paid workers in New

Zealand. Since the society was formed in 1979, its premiums had risen only 30 per cent from 82.20 a week to $2.85 a week, while general practitioners’ fees had risen 100 per cent to $11.50 or ?12 a visit. Mr Smith said that if general practitioners were to be satisfied with a “reasonably high” income instead of an “exorbitantly high” income, practitioners’ fees could be slashed along with other “extraordinarily high” medical fees.

Medical societies would then be able to lower their fees and possibly increase their range of benefits, he said.