HOSPITAL ANOMALY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23894, 23 August 1939, Page 5

HOSPITAL ANOMALY

RECOVERY OF FEES POSITION BETWEEN BOARDS (Per United Press Associations NEW PLYMOUTH. Aug. 22. The prevention of boards recovering from patients treated in other hospital districts the amount of fees in excess of the social security benefit as provided by section 92 of the Hospital and Charitable Institutions Act, was objected to at a meeting of the Hawera Hospital Board Under existing legislation hospital boards are liable for the difference between 6s a day paid out of the Social Security Fund and the amount previously charged by the hospital at which the patient is treated Although another board may claim against the Hawera Hospital Board for the balance owing by a patient from the Hawera district, the latter board has no redress against the patient. The Director-general of Health (Di M H Watt) advised that the department had received several inquiries whether in cases to which section 92 of the Hospitals and Charitable Institutions Act applied the patient was liable to the hospital board of his district for payment of the balance of fees in excess of the amount of the hospita benefits receivable under the Social Security Act Boards were notified that a board liable under section 92 of the Act or under an agreement entered into between hospital boards was not entitled to recover from the patient. Mr T A Winks: 1 think a strong protest should be entered. It is obviously unfair that ratepayers should stand the racket for those who can pay but will not until they are made to. • "It places the social security scheme in a false position as far as the board is concerned," said the chairman (Mr A L Campbell) "The Government is getting the credit of giving free hospital treatment but the ratepayers pay very heavily towards it. The ratepayers do not know what they are paying."