HOSPITAL CHARGES.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 25 June 1929, Page 8

HOSPITAL CHARGES.

FRIENDLY SOCIETY PAYMENTS. ATTITUDE OF BOARD. Strong opposition was voiced at the meeting (if the Palmerston North Hospital Board on Monday afternoon, when there was a suggestion that the scale of fees‘charged to patients who were members of Friendly Societies should bo again given consideration. Mr. J. A. Nash, M.P., moved the following resolution: “That the Board's resolution of December 13th, IDES, fixing the charge to be made to Friendly Society patients at Ss per diem for adults and -Is per diem for children, be rescinded. ’ ’ The representatives of the Friendly Societies on the Board had. stated Mr. Nash, always given the matter every consideration. It had to bo remembered that the accounts were guaranteed by the Friendly Societies, and under those circumstances it was reasonable for the latter to seek moderate hospital charges for their patients, as there was an absolute payment. When they considered that only 4S or 50 per cent, of ordinary patients' fees were actually paid, the results of the Friendly Societies’ activities must be satisfactory. Mr. A. E. Mam-ford pointed out that, excluding the hospital stall, the foes recovered were reduced to 55 per cent. Mr. Nash suggested that the standing resolution be rescinded and the matter held over. Mr. Campbell Aitchison commented that it was the Board's duty to consider the offer made by the Friendly Societies.

It was stated that, after giving the matter clue consideration on previous occasions, the Board had passed a ’*es elution making u reduction of 33 l-3rd per cent, on the standard fees charged. It was asked if similar remissions would be made in the event of an organisation like the Farmers-’ Union making an application. Air. Mansion! asked if anything /was being substituted for the motion which .it was proposed to rescind. He stated that the cost of collecting Friendly Society patients’ fees .was only one per cent, compared with nine per cent, for the public. If similar propositions to those advanced by the Friendly Societies for the payment of fees were brought forward, and would increase the revenue, he would support them every time. Mr. Monk commented that it seemed to bo futile, to rescind a motion unless the Board knew what was in front of it. He understood that, if the morion wo.re not rescinded, the Friendly Societies were going to withdraw their guarantee of payment. All the local bodies were crying out that insu!licien! fees were being collected, and the Hoard sleeiid not allow the Enendlv Socioi ies ■ to de rate to them. They liad beer: Just Hied in raising the ordin

ary patients’ fees, and the same principle should apply to all sections of the community. He was not prepared to support, the inotion. The chairman (Mr. J. K. Hornblow) expressed the hope that the existing resolution would not be rescinded. It was pointed out that the offer of payment by the Friendly Societies waron the basis of os a day for adults and 2s (id for children up to fourteen years, and that in the event of that not being accepted the Friendly Societies had proposed holding a special meeting immediately to cnalblc the rates to be paid direct to members. A jjjcvious offer of (is and ds respectively had been withdrawn. Several speakers opposed the rescission of the standing resolution, and the motion was lost, being supported only by Messrs Nash, Mansford and Aitchison. A motion by Mr. Mansford that acommittee comprising Messrs Hornblow, Nash and Aitchison be appointed to meet the Friendly Society representatives with a view to further consideration of the matter, and the submission of their balance-sheet, was lost on the void's, there being an emphatic negative.