INSURANCE PANELS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1640, 6 January 1913, Page 5

INSURANCE PANELS.

LLOYD-OEOROB AND THE DOCTORS. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright London, January 3. Thenewspapers strongly, criticise Mr. Lloyd-George's epeech to the Advisory Committee, especially the. proposals declaring that doctors on incomplete panels may take assistants or partners, whero.upon the panels will be closed, enabling them to. secure thq whole of tho insurance practioo. ■ ' Mr. Lloyd-George is premising to send t6 districts as many assistants as are .needed, and where no panel exists doctors will bo imported at a salary of JCSOO, but their setvloes will not be required for tho wholo timo, inasmuch as they will be al*. lowed private practioe, SOME PLAIN SPEAKING. - ' (Roo, January, 5, 5.5 p.m.) London, January 4. Tho British Medffcol Aesociatibn, replying to Mr. Lloyd-George, submits that it is doubtful whether one doctor in a hundred would freely have joined tho panel had it not been, for the economic pressure, and the fear of tho introduction of outsiders, The Government's threats were compelling them to accept service. The association is now organising a campaign to'secure for "insureds", a free choice of doctors in accordance with Section 15 of tho Act. , Mr. Lloyd-George denies that the "insureds", are entitled to arrange with doctors apart from insurance committees, or the commissioners, adding that the Government had not allowed such an arrangement. . . The oorrespondonfs reply is to the eliect that discretion was absolutely vesteil in tho committees, and not in the Govern-1 ment. f • '' ■ .