HEALTH INSURANCE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 26 November 1938, Page 13

HEALTH INSURANCE

Australia and new zeal And The recent decision of the Federal Government to postpone the full operation of its National Insurance Act must cause speculation as to the intchtions | of the Nbw Zealand Government csfi- | cerning the Social Security Act tcom- | fr.ents the Auckland “Star '. The Australian Act provides that medical I benefits shall become available within three months of the beginning of contributions. which was to have been 2nd January and is nbw expected to bo Ist May. In New Zealand both contributions and services will begin on Ist April, unless the Government makes use of its po\bcr to postpone the services. It seems unlikely now that the services can begin on the due date, Not only have the conditions of service to be agreed upon between the Government and the B.M.A. —a matter on which, in Australia, progress has been exceedingly slow—bht the doctors have not announced any alteration of their pi e-election determination to have nothing to do with the scheme. So far. therefore, thb health service section of the Social Security Act is little more than a formal expression of Parliament's wish to establish such a service. The interesting question for all men and women subject to the “social security contribution” is whether they will be required to pay it in full from Ist April, whether or not the health benefits are then available to them.