MEDICAL SERVICE

New Zealand Herald, Volume 78, Issue 24141, 6 December 1941, Page 12

MEDICAL SERVICE

LODGES AND DOCTORS CANTERBURY AGREEMENT [BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION] CHEISTCHURCH, Friday Success has attended the efforts of friendly societies in Canterbury to reach an agreement with medical practitioners that will be of considerable benefit to friendly society members. This was announced to-day by the • Siresident of the Dominion Council of friendly Societies, Mr. W. G. Carpenter, who said the doctors had agreed to accept the rates laid down under the Social Security Act in full settlement of their accounts. Societies are to pay the doctors and then recover the amount from the Social Security Department. This arrangement, said Mr. Car- < penter, affected • about 12,000 members, and, with their families, covered about 36,000 persons. Under this. scheme, Which would come into operation on March 1, members of friendly societies would be better off than ever before. Members would be able to attend any one of 20 or 30 doctors who were expected to come into the scheme, without making any , payment whatsoever. "Under the Social Security Act, the medical fee recoverable by the patient for consultation with a doctor is 7s 6d, and 12s 6d for night or Sunday calls, and this is the amount which doctors have agreed to accept on behalf of friendly society members," - continued Mr. Carpenter. "This in contrast to a payment of 10s 6d, which has been the minimum charge for consultation with a doctor by persons outside the friendly societies." •