HEALTH INSURANCE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22198, 27 August 1935, Page 14

HEALTH INSURANCE

SCHEME IN CANADA LEGISLATION IN ALBERTA [from our own correspondent] VANCOUVER, Aug. 2 All Canada is watching the progress of the Alberta health insurance scheme, the first adopted in this Dominion. Under legislation recently parsed, the youngest of tho Provinces will be divided into medical districts with a population of 20,000, these being regarded as sufficiently large to form an administrative unit, employing a fulltime curative and preventive health service. Local option plebiscites will decide whether each district desires to come under the scheme. A central commission will act ns administrator and court of appeal. Advisory boards will hear claims for benefits, nnd deal with emergency situations. Responsibility for collecting tho levy will rest on municipalities. The annual per capita cost of tho type of medical service desired has been set at £2, 18«, and the number of dependants estimated for one income at three. Statistics show that this is tho normal average, although during tho depression years it has been somewhat higher. Tho Act requires that the employee shall pay five-ninths of tho cost, the employer two-ninths, and the province the remaining two-ninths. Knch employee, regardless of tho number of'dependants, will pay 2s 9d for each of the three estimated dependants, a total of 8s 3d a month, for which he will receive free medical serlico for himself and them. Incomeearners who are not employees will pay seven-ninths, or 3s lid for each dependant, totalling lis 9d a month. Employers of persons on wages or salaries will be asked' to pay 3s 4d a month for each employee, the Province contributing a like amount. Provision is made for payment by tho casual labourer / of a halfponny an hour of labour procured by him. Freo medical service will include all general medical and obstetrical diagnosis and treatment, and surgical services, major and minor. These will include hospital service, such as X-ray, laboratory and public ward nursing, except when tho patient's illness requires private or semi-private accommodation; prescribed drugs and surgical appliances—-except glasses, which may later bo provided, if provision is economically practicable—nursing serVlc ®,home, when tho patient need not be moved.to hospital. The Act also provides for preferred services, medical m surgical', when necessary.