FREE MEDICINE COSTS MONEY

Chronicle (Levin), 25 September 1946, Page 5

FREE MEDICINE COSTS MONEY

INTERESTING FIG(URE^ BEFORE THE HOUSE WELLINGTON, Sept. 24. In the House of Representatives to day, Mr. M. H. Oram, speaking to tln Social Security vote for niedical aiu pharmaceutical beneilts, said the .peopit had begun to realise they could not .ge something for nothing .amd that ,eve.ry thing they received kad ,to be paid foi in some way. Mr. Oram rpiofed ligure: to show that pharmaceutical benelits prescribed amouiited to an average oi more than ,5s per visit to a doctor. Mr. G. H. Mackley (Masterton) sup ported Mr. Oxani's contention that ex penditure on pjiarmaceutical beuelitf was excessiye. Hon. A. H. Norclmeyer, Miaister o.i Health, quoted from a ,cirq\ilay recentp issued by the authori.ties ,to the me^li cal profession .which ' shawed that 20 ,pcr cent. of the doctors accounted fo4r 45 per cent. of pharmaceutical benefits at an average cost of 8s 6d, w^ile thc remaining 80 per cent. ,pf doctors accounted for 55 per cent. .of prescjip tions at an average .of 4s per prescrip tion. If the 20 .per cent. jjeduced their prescriptio.ps to the cost of tkose of the 80 per cept., then the cost of phai ' maceutical benefits tp the Social Spcprvty l und would be reduceil (by half. Mr. vNordmeyer said ev.ery peaii,) spent 011 iiharip,aceutical .begelits was according to tli,e prescriptioin .written by the niedical prac.tition.er .and ii there was overprescribing then it wa; tlie fa.ult of the niedical profession .and not of the cheniistSj the Goyer,umeiit Oi the people. The Gove.rnment was not anxious to restrict dpct6r.s in writing prescriptions but they must put their house in order. Mr. Nordmeyer said tlu Uepartnient was pretty iirml.y cou vineed that ov.erprescribing was occurring. He was not tondemhing .the prpfossion as a whole. Sopie members q, tlie profession • were concerned .witli abuses in the medical and pharma ceutieal benefits. The matter wa9 large !y one of internal ^di^cipline and in piaces where the H.M.A- had tried A police the scheme there' had been littp to complain about." The GpVernmen. had set up a committee of representp tives of the profession and Departme.nl which would advise on th'e advantages and disadvantages of acliemes now. operating, and oii methods for iniprov ing them. Mr. 0. G. Harker (Waipawa) said thc Minister's remarks showed that lu viewed the position more seriouslj, than most Government members. Ii the Minister would give tlie profession ^reater powers to diseipline its own members, he had po doubt it would :-eadiiy rally to assist. Mr. Nordmeyer said he did not t4hink my greater powers were needed.1 be:ause some districts wrere ab'ea,dy doinm •he job. ■