HEALTH INSURANCE

Southland Times, Issue 22489, 25 January 1935, Page 7

HEALTH INSURANCE

COMPULSORY NATIONAL SCHEME. HOSPITAL BOARDS’ PROPOSALS. (Per United Press Association.) Wellington, January 24. Proposals for a compulsory national health insurance scheme for New Zealand have been formulated by the executive of the Hospital Boards’ Association with the co-operation of several members of the New Zealand branch of the British Medical Association. These will be placed before a general conference of the Hospital Boards’ and British Medical Associations. Should members of the two organizations reach unanimity in agreeing upon a practical scheme, no doubt representations will be made to the Government with A view to its adoption and the introduction of legislation. There is reason to believe that official quarters are impressed with the advantages of national health insurance.

A summary of the proposals is as follows:—

(1) That a national health insurance scheme is desirable; (2) That such a scheme should be compulsory; (3) That it should apply to all in receipt of salary and wages below the present income tax limits; (4) That it should apply to all persons in receipt of salaries or wages within the limit prescribed, between the ages of 16 and 65; (5) That it should provide a complete medical service and should include general practitioner service, hospital, benefit, consultant and specialist services, maternity benefit, dental benefit, home nursing and such other types of medical care as seem desirable;

(6) That it should include the defendants of the insured; (7) That the scheme should be a contributory one and that . contributions should be at a rate regarded as suitable from an actuarial point of view; (8) That the payment of doctors should be at a flat rate so far as the general practitioner service is concerned, and according to the work done for specialist and consultive services; (9) That freedom of choice as between doctor and patient, which is such an important part of the scheme in England, should be incorporated in any New Zealand scheme; (10) That an insurance scheme could be fitted into our existing machinery, and that in the Health Department and the hospital boards we have suitable agencies to represent central government and local insurance committees.