LODGE MEMBERS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 4, Issue 178, 10 November 1941, Page 5

LODGE MEMBERS

SERVICE BY DOCTORS

There were two main methods, by which friendly societies had provided medical care for their members, stated the' Minister for Health, Mr Nordmeyer. The first method consisted of the payment to the doctor of a certain sum per quarter by the society, in consideration for which the doctor provided a member and his dependents with free medical attention/ The second method was to allow the members of his dependents to attend any doctor, and, on production of a receipt for payment of the account, the friendly society would pay an amount, usually. 7s 6d, for each visit or consultation to* the member. It appeared that the council of the B.M.A. had recently advised its members tc) terminate contracts under the first scheme.

It was impossible at this stage to say how far this advice would be taken, continued Mr Nordmeyer, but, even if every doctor decided toi ter„ minate his contracts, it would still be some months before the necessary notices would expire, and Criendly society members would become ineligible to receive care from the doctor under the old ment. During that period the doctor would continue to service a friendly society member and his family as previously and he would receive a certain sum quarterly for this service, such sum being repayable from the Social Security Fund if the lodge cared to make application. In the ease where the lodge in the past paid 7s 6d towards the cost of each visit or consultation, the position here w;as that the lodge member, like any other citizen, could go to his doctor and, on obtaining (lis receipt, secure from the Social Security Fund a refund of 7s 6d or 12s Gd for night calls. He might either present his claim personally or allow his lodge secretary to col. teot on his behalf, and it was understood that lodges would make application on behalf of members generally.