HOSPITAL FEES

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 232, 25 June 1920, Page 7

HOSPITAL FEES

« INCREASE DECIDED ON., The Hospital and. Charitable Aid Board yesterday decided that the maximum scale of fees for maintenance bo as follows:— In-patients, 7s. 6d. per diem (minimum fee 10s.). Children under 12, 2s. 6d. per diom (minimum fee 10s.). Children from 12 to 18, ss. per diem (minimum fee 10s.). Macarthy Home for Convalescent Children, 12s. 6d. per week. , Patients are to be charged_ cost price for splints and surgical appliances. Mr. C. H. Chapman raised the question whether the charges were not being made too high,. Mr. J. Glover, a member of the Finance Committee, stated that the increases had been found necessary, but they would not affect those people who could not pay. If people could not pay their fees, then that was an end of the matter so far as they were concerned, but people who were able to pay inoro should be made to do so. Mr. J. "W. jrEw&n, chairman of the meeting, said it could not be expected that in view of the rise in wages and the increased cost of drugs and foodstuffs, that tho board could carry on at the old charges. Tho increases were very reasonable. Mr. C. M. Luke: "To my mind it ia a question whether we should not Taiso the rates still higher." If the cost of administration was mounting up the rates would have .to be revised again. Every private hospital in the district had increased its rates. "While the administrative costs of the institution had gone up something like 33 1-3 to 50 per cent., the scale of fees had been increased by a very small amount.