Medical Practitioner Scheme

Manawatu Times, Volume 66, Issue 4, 6 January 1941, Page 4

Medical Practitioner Scheme

In Full Working Order This Year HEALTH MINISTER'S OPTIMISM Per Pres* Association. DUNEDIN, Jan. 5. 1 ‘ X shall bo very disappointed if the medical practitioner proposals under the Bociai (Security scheme are not in full working order v r ell before the end of the current financial year,” said the Minister of Health (Hon. H. T. Armstrong) in an interview. Mr. Armstrong said it had been hoped to have all the arrangements completed this month, but that was not now practicable. Final details of the scheme were now in the hands of the Health Department officials and the law draughtsmen, said the Minister, and when that w r ork nad been completed there would be a large amount of printing to be done in preparation of the contract cards and other matters relating to the scheme. “We are now working on arrangements for office accommodation and staffing in the various centres,” Mr. Armstrong said, “and it is anticipated that the latter item will involve an addition of 150 or 200 to the membership of the Health Department’s staffs.”

Speaking of the financial aspect of the proposal, the Minister said it was true that the maternity benefits had cost more than originally estimated, bet that Avas due partly, if not wholly, to the sharp increase in the birth rate which Avas revealed in the vital statistics for the past year. “The medical practitioner proposals,” he said, “cannont do that, because Ave know exactly how many people there are in the country, and the scheme cannot cost more than the capitation decided upon. The figure of 15s had been mentioned as the proposed capitation rate, but Mr. Armstrong said that Avas not the official figure. Actually he had in mind a smaller sum. This capitation Avould be paid to doctors willing to acccept contracts made with individual patients. The patient, to secure medical service, would apply to the Social Security Department and would be given a contract card to take to the doctor of his OAvn choice, and if the latter were prepared to take the caee he would sign the card and become responsible for the treatment of the patient. The doctor had the right of refusal.

“There Avill be no limitation on the number of patients a doctor may accept,” the Minister added, “but on the other hand there will be no medical examination such as has been the case on joining friendly societies, and those physically fit will be just as eligible for benefits as others.'”