HOSPITAL ACCOUNTS

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 126, 25 November 1930, Page 8

HOSPITAL ACCOUNTS

(To the Editor.) Sir,—Permit me. to make clear a few facts relative to the non-payment of hospital accounts by successful litigants "in compensation pases. The Fees Committee, of which I am chairman, . has ' handled something like half a million'pounds of hospital accounts" since its inception seven years ago. (1) Not one case has, to my knowledge, paid in full the hospital; account for which claim was made in arbitration or Court proceedings. . (2)-Not one case in ten has paid half the hospital account, where-a claim for the full amount of-the account has been "made in arbitration or Court proceedings. (3) Over 80 per cent.-in. compensation cases ,pay-nothing to the Hospital Board unless sued' by the board.'"•■■.* .'-. ?'■.-■■ -' ■ -.."-_;■ .-; /' -'.-: ■..■':■'■'.■; ■': ■ In. my opinion—which is the result; of experience—the person : making claim; for an award either by arbitration or Court, proceedings as "special damages," and appropriating to his or her own use the moneys so awarded as special damages for hospital treatment is plainly.robbing-,'the. State to the extent of one-half of the .hos- ( pital bill, and the fentpayers cud ratepayers of.the Wellington .Hospital" District of the other half of the account (State Subsidy and hospital levy). The special plea about circumstances of successful litigants entitling them to : appropriate moneys awarded for-hospital accounts they do not pay—after getting the cash awarded to: pay such accounts —cuts no ice. : The HospitalBoard pays out about 30 per cent, morein maintenance of' the occupied bed than is charged for the service, and the whole sum awarded claimant for these special damages is due to the board and not to; the claimant for personal maintenance or use after discharge, from hospital, 'i : '. I would like . here to say. that a-num-ber of the city solicitors do try to secure some portion of. the moneys due to the board. —I am, etc., ' :\ r ANGUS J. M'CUKDY.-: