NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE

Evening Star, Issue 22670, 9 June 1937, Page 8

NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE

SCHEME ESTIMATED TO COST £3,500,000 SOME IDEA OF PROPOSALS [I'JEU United Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, Juno 8. Tho cost of tlio national health insurance scheme contemplated by the Government is estimated at £3,500,000 a year, according to figures at present being discussed. This would be equivalent to a tax on wages and income other than wages of about 7d in the £. Tho Government’s tentative proposal is to pay £1 per head of population for medical services. The population of New Zealand, including Maoris, at the last census was rather over 1,500,000. If the whole population were distributed among the medical practitioners, each practitioner having his own list, there would remain a sum in the vicinity of £2,000,000 for extra services. It is believed that the proposal includes free medical and nursing service in maternity cases, involving from £ls to £2O in each case. This would involve an additional £500,000. approximately. The fund would provide also for special hospital attention, travelling expenses of doctors and patients, and special payments of hospital staffs. The proposal to pay the doctors at the rate of £1 per head is described as a retainer system. Presumably pay-' ment would bo made to doctors for -materials used, which would bo absolutely free to patients. A patient who required the attention of a specialist, however, would have to pay for his services, as at present, and the patient seeking the attendance of a doctor other than the panel doctor would also pay, as at present. PROFESSION'S VIEW ALLEGEDLY OPPOSED TO SCHEME The scheme has been under discussion by the New Zealand branch of the British Medical Association for some time. It is understood (says a Christchurch paper) that the association is officially opposed to it, though no announcement has been made of any resolutions on the subject. The general opinion of medical practitioners is opposed to the proposal. The grounds of opposition are; — 1. That the scheme would bo an addition to tho present cost of medical attention to the community. 2. That the standard of medical practice would be lowered; that provision is required only for the poorer classes of the community, and that a restricted organisation to meet their needs could be arranged at a much lower cost. 3. That the panel system would discourage freedom of choice by the public. 4. That an enormous addition to the public hospitals would be demanded, and that specialists would have, to attach themselves to the hospitals in order to benefit under the scheme, 6. Specialisation would be discouraged. 6 That tho system would tend to standardisation, and that they would be hampered by regulations. It is contended that to work the system it would be necessary to double the number of practitioners, with the result that tho profession would cease to be attractive to young men of ambition who would prefer to settle in other countries. . . The view of tho Medical Association, as expressed by one of its prominent members, is that tho scheme places emphasis on the treatment of sickness rather than on the promotion of the health of the community, and that the average taxpayer, having paid his tax, would he inclined to call in his panel doctor on tho slightest provocation. The psychological effect, it is contended, would be distinctly bad from the point of view of general and individual health. , So far as can he learned tho scheme is at present only in draft form. DOCTORS SYMPATHETIC " WILL DOUBTLESS DELAY CRITICISM ” “ Although the Government’s National Health Insurance Committee has been working upon the question of a national health service in New Zealand during tho last 12 months,” stated the chairman of the committee (Dr D. G. M'Millan, M.P.) this morning, “ its report has not yet been considered by either Cabinet or by the Government Party, and until such time as that is done no authoritative statement can he made. “ Those responsible for the finance of the scheme will be interested in the statement made on behalf of the medical profession that they consider a capitation fee of £1 to be 50 per cent, too high. During the last few months me has met practically all the doctors in the North Island and a large proportion of those in the South Island, and everywhere one has found them open-minded, ready to discuss local and general problems, and very sympathetic towards the principles of health insurance. “ Doubtless, the sound commonscnsc of tho majority of members of tho profession will cause them to delay criticism of the Government's proposals until such time as they know wiiat those proposals arc