MEDICAL SERVICE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20602, 1 November 1941, Page 4

MEDICAL SERVICE

PAYMENT METHODS MINISTER EXPLAINS CAPITATION SYSTEM (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. A statement explaining the payments to be made from the social security fund for medical services after to-day was made by the Minister of Health, the Hon. A. H. Nordmeyer. Asked if he thought the fees prescribed by the Act would be accepted in full settlement by the doctors, Mr. Nordmeyer replied that at this stage he could not say definitely how many medical men would be prepared to accept the amounts in full settlement, although he imagined that many of them would recognise that 7s (3d for every consultation represented a very generous return • for services rendered. He understood that in some districts the doctors decided that they would charge their normal fee of 10s 6d, but until the scheme had been operating for some days it would not be possible to say how many doctors were accepting the amounts mentioned in the Act in full settlement.

Payments were to be made normally at the rate of 7s 6d for each visit by the doctor to a patient or for consultation at the. doctor’s surgery. This amount would be payable from the social security fund in respect of services rendered between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. on week days, but between 9 p.m. of any day and 7 a.m. of the following day, or at any time on Sunday, a claim of 12s 6d would be payable from the fund. Urgent Call Required % It was important to know, said Mr. Nordmeyer, that a doctor had to receive an urgent call during the hours mentioned before the higher amount was payable. This meant that if a doctor received a call on Saturday and attended on Sunday mere attendance would not entitle either the doctor or the patient to a claim of 12s Gd, but only 7s 6d from the fund. There was a further provision for the payment of a higher amount from the fund in cases where the medical service rendered by the doctor was of an unusually timeconsuming nature.

The Minister said there were two methods of claiming from the fund. The first and simpler method was for the doctor to claim direct. This could be done on the form provided and all that was required was for the patient to set out his name and address, the date of receiving medical service and to append his ordinary signature. This claim, when counter-signed by the doctor, would be then sent to the medical officer of health and would entitle the doctor to the payment of 7s 6d or 12s 6d as the case might ‘be. It was hoped ultimately that this method would be adopted by the doctors generally as the simplest and most businesslike.

The second method of payment was more involved. In this case the patient would pay the doctor his fee and obtain a receipt for payment, either on the form provided or on a separate receipt,. This form was obtainable at any post office and should be sent to the medical officer of health with the doctor’s receipt endorsed on or attached to it, or if this is inconvenient handed in to the nearest .post office. The voucher, which could be cashed at the post office, would then be sent to the claimant. Confusion Over Capitation Mr. Nordmeyer said there appeared to be some confusion concerning the capitation scheme which began on March 1 last and the present system. The capitation scheme involved the obtaining of an application card, the signing of this card by the patient and the acceptance by the doctor of the patient. The doctor in this case received a certain sum annually, whether the patient was ill or not. The persons entitled to medical attention under this method would still continue to be serviced by their doctors as in the past months. They would, however, not be entitled to go to another doctor and receive a further payment for that visit from the social security fund, except in the case of emergency.

If they wished to obtain medical service under the new arrangement, it would be necessary for them to give notice to their doctor in terms of the medical benefits regulations. There was a further class who were not entitled to claim a refund. They consisted of people living in “special areas” where arrangements had been made with their local doctors to provide them with ordinary medical care during their term of residence in that district. Such persons would not be eligible to claim for medical services rendered by other doctors unless in case of an emergency.