THE FEES OF HOSPITAL PATIENTS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1888, 24 October 1913, Page 7

THE FEES OF HOSPITAL PATIENTS.

t— j DECISION TO RAISE THEM. INCREASE OF FORTY PER CENT. ] Considerable discussion took plaeo at yesterday's meeting of tho Wellington Hospital and Charitable Aid Board over a cfauso, in tho Financo Committees report, reading as follows: "That with a view to having a uniform charge in . Now Zealand for maintenance at the : hospitals the fee be raised from £1 10s. to £2 2s. per week." Dr. F. W. Mackenzie thought that the clauso shouldbe very carciully considorcd before being passed.. Married men. with families, who wore not in ' receipt of an income of £200 per annum, should not bo asked to pay fees at all for medical attendanco. Ho was quite satisfied that, in Wellington at least, married, mon could not bring up ] families to advantage on less than £200 , a year, and, at the same time, bo pre- ■ pared to pay medical fees. It was ; true that this was tho maximum fee, f but thero was an underlying position which required attention. f lho change contemplated might worry the classes which he had . indicated. Ho was against penalising ft poor man for doing his duty to the oountry and rearing his family. , Mr. John Smith said that the patients were always asked if they were ; able to pay, and, if it was found that , they were not in a position to do so, that fact was put on record. Poor people .wero. never- prossed for pay-' meiit. \ • | Effect on the Honest Poor. Mr. D. M'Laren remarked that thero was no established principle that certain people would not bo forced to pay. ■ It was hypocrisy to say that there was. This proposed clauso was going to preßS heavily on tho poor honest, and as a matter of faot those who were more punctilious about payment wero really to be penalised. The suggestion to . raise the general chargo was simply . due to tho fact that they bad all got into a. state of funk about the burden 1 of the ratepayers in connection with the upkeep of hospitals. Ho was convinced that, in many cases, the rumour- 1 ed increas6 in rates was really not an increase at all. This was because of tho increase in tho value of tho pro--1 perty. |Ho was strongly opposed to the suggested incrcaso in the fees. Mr. F. T. Mooro favoured an in--1 crease. He thought that thoso who could afford to pay the fees would do so, and thoso who could not afford it would default. ' • Mr. B. R. Gardener opposed the increase. It would, lie thought, act op- [ pressively on a deserving class, who I would even go to the extent of sta'rvHiEj their families to pay a hospital | The Real Aim. I The chairman (the Rev. W. A. Evans) [ explained that tho proposal was mere- , ly in the direction of having a uniform . fee throughout New-Zealand, and that . was desirable. He could not soe where . the oppression would como in, because , tho position would bo just tho same as . it was at present. • , Mr. F. Castle apoko in favour,of tho incrcaso. - r Tho proposal was then put to the meeting, and carried by nine votes to eight, The voting was as follows:— Ayes i The ohairman (Rov. W. A. Evans), the Rev. J. K. Elliott, Messrs. D. Robertson, D. Campbell, F. Castle, F. T. Mooro,, H, Freeman,., H. . Bald- , win. and J. Smith. Noes: Dr. PlattsMills, Dr, Maokenzie, Mrs. M'Laren, Messrs. D. M'Laren, G. Nash, G. J. Petherick, B. R. GaTdoner, and W. Galloway. . : ■ Outpatients' Fees. Further discussion took place over > tho Finance Committee's recommendal tion that applicants 'for treatment at 1 the Outpatients' Department be divided t into two classes:—(a) Thoso who aro 1 t able to pay a minimum fee; (b) those - who are not ablo to pay any fee. That i tho first be oharged a fee of 2s. 6d. 3 for medicine; that the second be treatt ed free of chargo. (c) That tho officer ; in charge tako notes of the circum--3 stances of each applicant on a form to r be approved, and all such forms be l filed. (d) That should any difference 1 arise with regard to the class to which - the applicant belongs, suoh difference ■f to be submitted to the. Medical Supor- . intendent, whose judgment shall be - final. Eventually the recommendation was i agreed to without a division being a called for.