TRIVIAL SICKNESS CLAIMS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1785, 25 June 1913, Page 7

TRIVIAL SICKNESS CLAIMS.

UNDER LLOYD-GEORGE INSURANCE 1 . SCHEME. By Telegraph—Press Association-Copyright, London, June 23. Many friendly societies complain of the serious depletion of their funds by trivial sickness claims. The. Grand Master of the Manchester Unity (Oddfellows) declares that the administration of insurance benefits menaces both tho national fund and tho friendly societies' funds. Speaking of the Insurance Act at tho general meeting of tho District Secretaries' Association of the Independent Order of Rechabites at. Bristol recently, the president said what he wanted to refer to most in connection with tho Act was tho readiness with which medical men issued sickness certificates. It was not at nil uncommon to be told by a member that the doctor said. "Oh, you had better tako one. It's the State's, and the State can afford it." Th<» delegates to tho conferencc of tho Manchester Unity of Oddfellows at Scarborough last month passed unanimously a resolution claiming that the administration of medical benefit under the Insuranco Act should be handed over to tho approved societies, and during tho short discussion (lie attitude of the medical profession towards the friendly societies was sharply criticised. Brother "Warren, one of the directors, said that at present the administration of medical benefit was a drain on their management allowance, and was troublesome, less efficient, and less satisfactory than it had been at any time in the history of the Unity. In tho eyes of tho great friendly societies the doctors hail played a despicable part. Tlisv had been disloyal, and tho British Medical Association had been tyrannous and overbearing. Tho medical profession, having como in as partners in tho National Insurance scliemo with tho approved societies, should play the gamo fairly. In many eases, although the doctors were willing to take the money, they were not willing to perform the right and proper services, nnd friendly society men , were receiving the most perfunctory treatment, while sickness claims were going np by leaps and bounds. If it went on. what was there in future bnt chaos and financial bankruptcy?