COST OF HOSPITAL TREATMENT

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 292, 8 September 1942, Page 4

COST OF HOSPITAL TREATMENT

The State’s Share WELLINGTON CITY COUNCIL’S VIEW

Not satisfied with the decision of the Government to meet only the full cost of hospital treatment for armed services patients out of the Social Security Fund, the Wellington City Council intends to renew its representations for a greater measure of relief from this souicc for the ratepayers in respect of the •cost of treatment of all hospital patients. Another deputation is to be arranged to discuss the the matter with the Prime Minister on his return to New Zealand from the United States.

Replying to the resolution adopted by the council requesting the. Government to make legislative provision for charging against the Social Security Fund the ‘total cost of hospital and charitable aid services, the _ ActingPrime Minister, Mr. Sullivan, in a letter placed before the council’s meeting last night, said it had been pointed out to the deputation which had waited on the Prime Minister and himself on June 2 last that the Government could not, in the face of present commitments for war purposes, undertake the whole cost of the hospital and associated services, “The payanents to be made from the Social Security Fund during the current year,” he added, “are expected to absorb most of the balance available in the fund at the beginning of this year, as well as the normal revenue of the fund. The Government has, however, acceded to the representations made by local authorities and hospital boards on the question of meeting the full costs of treatment of arjned services patients, and it seems that is as far as it is practicable to go during the war. Your council will appreciate that to give effect to a proposal for the total cost being met from public funds would necessarily involve important questions of taxation, finance and ‘administration.

Payment Twice Over.

The mayor, Mr. Hislop, commented that except for the decision by the Government to meet the full cost of treatment of armed services patients, the position remained as before. “I do not. think we should accept that, because at present the Governtnent pays less than half the cost of treatment,” said Cr. W. Appleton, who added that when the Social Security Fund was established it was indicated that it would meet the full costs of treatment. Though, owing to wartime exigencies it might not be practicable now to give full effect to this, a reasonable proportion of the cost should be met by the Government. There should be a further deputation to the Prime Minister requesting that the State pay its fair share. At present it paid 6/- a day for private patients and 11/- for soldiers, but the cost of treatment at the Wellington Hospital was 18/-. The State should pay at least 12/- a day. Meanwhile some people were paying twice over. It ought to come out of the Social Security Fund, and if that was not solvent then the public ought to know why. , The mayor: The real point is that it is the ratepayers who are paying twice over.

Cr. Appleton: And the ratepayer is the average citizen. I jmove that we make further representations to the Government, through the Prime Minister, for the matter to be reconsidered;

Seconding the motion, Cr. M. Frazer said that when the State’s contribution was fixed at 6/- a day it represented about half the cost of treatment, but now it was only about onethird, and the ratepayers were paying doubly through State taxation and local body taxation. The council adopted Cr. Appleton’s motion.