MEDICAL BENEFITS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23830, 4 December 1940, Page 8

MEDICAL BENEFITS

NEW BASIS OF SERVICE MUTUAL ARRANGEMENT PATIENT AND DOCTOR AMENDMENTS TO THE ACT [I3T TELEGRAPH —SPECIAL REPORTER] WELLINGTON. Tuesday The provision of a general practitioner service on the basis of a mutual j arrangement between medical practitioners and patients i-, made by an amendment to the Social Security Act contained in the .Finance Hi 11 (No. 4), which was introduced and read a first time in the House of Representatives to-night. The benefits under this amendment are to include "all proper and necessary services of medical practitioners, except such serriees as may, in accordance with regulations, be excluded therefrom either absolutely or in special circumstances to be defined in the regulations." Deciding Scope of Service The amendment states that if any question arises as to whether any service provided by a medical practitioner j is within the scope of medical benefits jit shall be decided by the .Minister ol' j Health after consultation with the advisory committee prorided for under ; the principal Act. A medical practitioner qualified to provide this service and any person entitled to claim medical benefits lor himself or for any member of his j family mar mutually agree in the prescribed form and manner lor the provision of the service. Prescribed Fee for Doctors i Medical practitioners undertaking i the service will be entitled to a prej scribed capitation fee for each person, j but no other payment, with the excep- | tion of mileage fees, to be computed I in accordance with regulations, j The sections in Part 111. of the prin- ! cipal Act dealing with the scope of j medical benefits, the making of conj tracts between the Minister and prac--1 thinners, and the selection by bene- ! ficiaries of medical practitioners, are | repealed. Practitioners who undertake to provide the service shall be deemed to have entered into a contract of service which may be terminated by the Minister on the recommendation of a special tribunal and not otherwise. The provision in the main Act enabling the Minister to make special arrangements for the service to be given in circumstances out of the ordinary is extended to deal with exceptional cases. Other Changes in Act Another amendment to the Social Security Act exempts compassionate grants made by the Government or by any employer to a widow in respect of her husband's death from the computation of income for the purpose of application for benefits. Altered prorision is also made for the computation of income of widows receiring allotments from sons in the armed forces. When the measure was introduced the Minister of Finance, the Hon. W. Nash, was asked by the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. S. G. Holland, whether there was any provision for giving free hospital treatment to out-patients. Mr. N asli replied there was no need for that as there was prorision within the law if arrangements could be made. The question was already being considered by the Government. Mr. Holland: Is there any provision for free treatment at Rotorua and Haunter ? Mr. Nash: Not in this bill.

DOCTORS' VIEWS TIME INOPPORTUNE MANY ON MILITARY SERVICE DELAY DURING WAR URGED [I!Y TKLECttAPIT— PRESS ASSOCIATION] WELLINGTON, Tuesday The attitude of the medical profession of the Dominion toward the proposed introduction in January of the general practitioner service under the Social Security Act was expressed today by Dr. J. P. S. Jamieson, chairman of the national health insurance committee of the British Medical Association. "At the present time the less said about free universal genera] practitioner service the better," said Dr. Jamieson. "Having brought the greater part of the Social Security Act into operation with a minimum of delay, the Government should not be criticised for caution in introducing this portion of the provisions of the Act. This is especially so as it. would appear that the full amount, at least, of the tax collected is already being paid out.

Future Too Uncertain "Neither should the profession be blamed for hesitancy in committing itself to a system which, overnight, would profoundly alter the system of tho practice of medicine without time for natural development and adjustments and in a period when the future is too uncertain. It must be obvious to everyone that the present moment, in ! the midst of a conflict for the survival |of the Empire, is altogether inoppor- ! tune for proceeding with such a matter j of domestic concern. I "It is more inopportune since so great a proportion of the medical profession, amounting to fully 25 per cent, is absorbed already in military service, while more will be called upon. Moreover, nothing could be more inopportune for the department than to be faced with the laying down and administration of a new system while engaged with the over-increasing burden of work which war involves. Army Requirements "Tho association agrees absolutely with what has already been said by the Prime Minister that the one thing tliat matters—indeed the only thing that | really fundamentally matters for New j Zealand at present-—is our national war | effort. For that reason members have i placed their services to an unexampled j extent at the disposal of the national medical committee for military service in any capacity for which they may be suitable. Having regard to civil requirements, as a body and individually, wo have made many arrangements to liberate suitable men for military service and to maintain the civilian service. "We have urged, therefore, that further consideration of this matter should be deferred until the conclusion of the war and demobilisation." >