NATIONAL INSURANCE ACT

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 15056, 27 July 1912, Page 7

NATIONAL INSURANCE ACT

DOCTORS' DEMANDS GRANTED

* EXTRA £4,000,000 A YEAR.

: By Telegraph. Association.-Copyrlfibt. ,!• London, July. 25. Mb.. Lloyd-George has expressed his "'.' willingness to ask Parliament for an ' additional four millions per year to satisfy the doctors' demands in con- • flection .with the National Insurance ■" Act. . . The British Medical Association *' has announced that its resolution ; -i'- breaking off negotiations with the '■' " Government did not prevent services '. in sanatoria when arrangements '• were satisfactory.

WHAT THE DOCTORS WANT- • ' The annual payment that, has been demanded by the doctors for giving medical services under tho national insurance ]i" scheme is 8s 6d per head. The London '":' - correspondent of the Manchester Guardian, writing on June 14, said:— "At a meet- : 'tn'g two days ago tho doctors put in a ' memorandum in support of the 8s bd figure. This memorandum, however, was felt by the- Commissioners, and admitted on exWUltl&tion by tho doctors themselves, to "' ' give- awnv their case, and the meeting •'''.'' broke up'in order that the doctors might adduce soma further evidence, particui,,., ticularlv from practitioners in the North. ' V I am informed that tho figures as produced bv the doctors proved to give every general practitioner (including juniors, but excluding specialists) an income of £070 per annum—arid that not including / the 5,000,000 people who are estimated to remain as patients outside the insurance scheme." It was announced by cable & few davs ago that the negotiations had -• been broken off. Although the Act is now . in operation the medical benefits will not . begin until next year.