MATERNITY BENEFITS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23887, 15 August 1939, Page 10

MATERNITY BENEFITS

SOCIAL SECURITY ACT MEDICAL PROFESSION'S PROPOSALS NO PANEL LISTS OR CONTRACTS (Per United Press Association) NELSON, Aug. 14. Interviewed regarding the nature of the proposals which the medical profession has formulated, Dr J. P. S. Jamieson stated that the proposals now put forward were a modification of the previous offer, which the Government rejected, to operate the maternity benefit as a cash benefit to the patient. The present offer, like the former, was devised specifically to eliminate individual contracts and regulations which had proved an obstacle to the Government's present scheme. "In brief," Dr Jamieson explained, " the fresh proposals * will stipulate payments to doctors for a maternity service from the Social Security Fund on proof of service. The payments are for the usual and special services and additional professional assistance when required. The scales of these payments are to be agreed upon and periodically revised. They would be in full satisfaction, excepi that in the case of recognised specialists, additional private fees are to be recoverable, any patient to have the right at will to make private arrangements outside the scheme and any doctor to have the right to enter into such arrangements.

"The general effect of this arrangement," Dr Jamieson added, " would be that the maternity work would proceed as hitherto, but patients who wish to avail themselves could have the medical costs of it defrayed by the Social Security Fund. No panel lists, no contracts, and no committees would be required, and the administrative machinery would be a minimum." In conclusion, Dr Jamieson said, the profession was prepared to undertake work on this basis, provided that existing legislation was amended to give effect to these proposals in lieu of the Government's scheme, and that amending legislation, including the regulations, be first submitted to the association and agreed upon.