THE HEALTH PLAN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23599, 8 September 1938, Page 12

THE HEALTH PLAN

TOO WIDE IN SCOPE THE OPPOSITION’S VIEW REITERATION OF ARGUMENTS (From Our Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, Sept. 7. Criticism of the universal provisions of the health section of the Social Security Bill was voiced in the House of Representatives this evening by the Leader of the Opposition (Mr A. Hamilton) on the ground that there was no general demand in the country for such a service Seventy per cent of oeople, he said, would prefer to make their own arrangements with their doctors. The Minister of Health (Mr P Fraser) said that under the new scheme the people would be able to select their doctors as they could now, except that where a doctor was popular and had too many patients to look after successfully his panel would be limited, but that would obtain under any scheme, partial or otherwise. Apart from the difference regarding income limitations, there was no serious difference between the Government and the medical profession over the details of the scheme.

Mr S. G. Holland (Opposition, Christchurch North) said that the universal provisions were the point at which the Government and the Opposition parted company. A partial scheme for all was envisaged where the Opposition believed a full scheme for those who could not afford adequate attention was what was needed. The essential part of any health scheme was the cooperation of the doctors, and the doctors had already made it abundantly plain that they would not give their full co-operation to this scheme.

Dr D. G. McMillan (Govt., Dunedin West) said that the only sensible way to finance a health scheme was on the group basis. To say that the doctors would give less valuable service under the scheme was a libel on the profession. Mr Hamilton: A universal scheme is not wanted. The majority of the people are not in favour of it, Mr J. A. Lee (Govt., Grey Lynn): You wait and see. “ What is the sense of taxing all the people to provide a service for the rich?” asked Mr Hamilton. The Minister of Finance (Mr W. Nash) said that the fundamental theme of the Bill was that a good doctor would not be forced to work for nothing, and a patient would not be forced into the position of accepting charity. That frequently happened at present. The panel scheme as suggested by the Opposition would divide the community into two classes, but the Government’s scheme would provide equal treatment for all. The doctors would give better service under the scheme even than they were giving now, because they would not have to worry about fees.

AN EXTENDED SITTING MEASURE UNDER HEAVY FIRE (From Our Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, Sept. 7. Further consideration in committee of the Social Security Bill occupied the whole of to-day’s sitting of the House of Representatives, which was an extended one. Unemployment. the position of returned soldiers, and the medical aspect of the proposals came under concentrated fire from members of the Opposition, and it was on these topics that most of the discussion centred. The Statutes Amendment Bill, which makes alterations to a wide range of acts, was introduced during the day. The House rose at 1.20 a.m.