NATIONAL SCHEME

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXX, 8 October 1936, Page 4

NATIONAL SCHEME

FOR HEALTH INSURANCE QUESTIONNAIRE ISSUED Organisations interested in the establishment of a national health insurance scheme are invited by the committee investigating the proposal to submit answers to a questionnaire which has been drawn up with a view to collating opinions. The questions include the following:— NATURE OF SCHEME Should it be contributory or noncontributory? Should any class or classes of per-, sons be exempted from contributions? If so, should minimum and maximum income limits be applied in determining such exemptions? BENEFICIARIES • Should the benefits extend to dependants of the insured? If so, who are to be regarded as coming within this category? Should any class of person be entitled to benefits without having contributed, e.g., old age pensioners and unemployed? Should an insured person have his rights to benefits modified in respect of any period during which he is in receipt of payments under the Workers’ Compensation Act? BENEFITS Should any of the following benefits be excluded: —General medical practitioner services; specialist and consultant services; laboratory aids; medicine and appliances; dehtal treatment; ophthalmic treatment and optical appliances; orthopaedic appliances; nursing and massage services (noninstitutional); maternity services (if not provided under other headings); hospital and sanatorium treatment; transport of patients; sickness benefit and disablement benefit?

CONTRACTS AND THIRD PARTIES Assuming that the relative benefits are included in the scheme, What should be the basis of payment for medical services, that is: general practitioner; specialist; consultant? What should be the general basis of arrangement for the supply of medicines; appliances? What should be the basis of payment for dental treatment? What should be the basis of payment for ophthalmic treatment; optical appliances? What should be the basis of payment for non-institutional nursing and massage services? What should be the basis of payment. for non-institutional maternity services? What is to be the basis of payment from the fund in respect of treatment in public hospital and sanatoria; private hospitals? What is to be the basis of payment of ambulance and other transport services? ADMINISTRATION

Should the administration of cash benefits, such as sickness benefit, and disablement benefit, be separated from the administration of benefits in kind, such as medical and hospital benefits? What should be the form of central

administration of the scheme? Shoiild there be a specially-constituted central body with executive powers, and if so, what should be its general constitution? Alternatively, should the National Health Insurance administration be made the function of an existing department, or departments, enlarged for the purpose? Should local administration be undertaken by specially-constituted local insurance authorities? If so, what should be their constitution and functions?

To what extent should friendly societies and other bodies who are already administering voluntary insurance schemes be entrusted with responsibility under the general scheme? What provision should be made for consultation between the administrative bodies (central and local) and committees representative of doctors, pharmacists, dentists, and other similarly affected as contractors for supply of services? What should be the principal method or methods of payment and collection of income? Should income from all sources be allocated to separate funds for certain benefits or groups of benefits and each such fund or the National Health Insurance Fund as a whole be kept actuarially sound?