HEALTH INSURANCE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 49, 25 January 1935, Page 9

HEALTH INSURANCE

A NATIONAL SCHEME. FORMULATION OF PROPOSALS. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Jan. 24. Proposals tor a compu.sory national health insurance scheme for New Zealand have been formulated by the executive of the Hospital Boards’ Association with tlie co operation .of several members of tlie New Zealand branch of the British Medical Association, i lease will be placed I km ore a general conlerenbo of hospital Boards and the British Medical Association. Should the members of the two organisations reach unanimity in agreeing upon a practical scheme, no doubt i epreseutatlon.s will be made to the Government with a view to its adoption and the introduction of legislation. There is reason to believe that official quarters are impressed with tlie advantages of national health insurance. A summary of the proposals is as follows: That a. national health insurance scheme is desirable. That such a scheme should be compulsory. That it should apply to all in re eeipt of solnrv and wages below tlie present income tax limits. That it should apply to all persons in receipt of salaries or wages within the limit prescribed between the ages of 16 to 65. That it should provide a complete medical service and oiiouhl include general practitioner service, hospital benefit, consultant ’and specialist services, maternity benefit, dental benefit, home nursing and such other types of medical care as seem desirable. That it should include dependants of tlie injured. That tlie scheme should lie a contributory one and that the contributions should be at a rate regarded as suitable from an actuarial point ot V'cW. That the payment of the doctor sKmld he at a. flat rate so far as the general practitioner service is concern ed, and according to the work done ior the specialist and consultive services. That freedom ot choice as between doctor and patient, which is such an important part of the scheme in Eng-

land, should be incorporated in any New Zealand scheme. That an insurance scheme could be fitted into our existing machinery and that in the Health Department and the Hospital Boards w“ have suitable agencies to represent the central government and local insurance committees.