HEALTH INSURANCE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 18924, 28 January 1936, Page 11

HEALTH INSURANCE

NATIONAL SCHEME SOON

STATEMENT BY DOCTOR The belief thai a national health insurance scheme would be introduced in New Zealand shortly was voiced by Dr. !'. Birkinshaw, of Christchurch, in an address which he gave this Week to members of a friendly society in Christchurch.

'•This afternoon I was in touch with a Cabinet Minister, wno assured me that the .Minister of Health had the scheme in hand.' 1 he said. "We may take it thai the Dominion will have a health insurance scheme within four or live months "

After slating thai the health of its people should be one of the chief concerns of any liovei liineni. Dr. I'ir kinsliUM spoke' of the adoption of health insurance schemes in European countries. In Knglnnd, every person over the age of 16 and earning under C2CO was compelled by law to join up with the scheme. By a system of stamps attached to books.' Urn employer paid 5d a week, the employee paid 4d, and the Covernineni added a certain amount. The bench's included 15s. a week wink one was ill. free medical treatment, live medicines, free hospital and convalescent home, treatments, assistance in confinement expenses, and free dental treatment. About three-quarters of the doetors in Kngland were working under the scheme. LODGE SCHEME "How does this compare with the New Zealand lodge scheme?" asked DrBirkinshaw. He pointed out that lodge members in New Zealand paid od a week. There were 102.0C0 lodge patients, and the accumulated funds were £4.500,000. No actual scheme was yet in existence, but one could guess at what would be done. Every person over 16 earning £250 or £3OO would be given the opportunity- of joining a lodge or taking part in a Government scheme. The employers would probably subscribe Is a week and the employee, a similar sum. The lodge dues would be considerably less than at. present. It was likely that sick pay would be increased to a living sum —about two-thirds of the normal wage.

Hospitals would have to be reorganised. Very much less strain would be thrown on them through the abolition of the out-patients' department. These out-patients would be treated by the ordinary doctors, leaving the house surgeons free for their important work in the wards. MEDIGA L EXAMINATION

Another important point was that the man wishing to join, a lodge but disqualified by failure to pass the medical examination would be catered for, added Dr. Birkjnshaw. "The advantages then are—that the employer pays something towards Ihe scheme; more money will be paid to those incapacitated through sickness and the increased efficiency of the hospitals," said Dr. Ilirkiiishaw. Tin- only disadvantage was that, ledge secretaries would bo- wondering what was to happen to their JLVI.oOO.OOO. il had to be remembered that lunch of I hat .-.inn went through the sick and funeral fund.

"It is used by your relatives to give you a. slap-up funeral, but thai is mil much belielil lo the living," said Dr. Ilirkiiishaw. lb- also pointed orit that lodge memberships would •mow i r muii.-Jv through Ihe coming into opera I lull (if the sell,-me.

It, was to be hoped liiaf medical referees and a committee of lodge secretaries to act us go-betweens Hie o.>\ eminent and Hie doctors would be a part of the scheme, in England doctors had objected lo receiving em! notes from an insurance company telling them what to do. Doctors were an inde pendent body of men, and did no! like being told what to do', but would cheerfully do anything they were asked.

"What we want —what every man wants —is security j security agatnsl sickness and against unemployment," Dr. Birkinshaw added, "i think security against unemployment is bound to come, and in the meantime it is worth while for all of us to make sacrifices to gain security against, sickness.'