HEALTH INSURANCE

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 3, 5 January 1939, Page 17

HEALTH INSURANCE

SOME DIFFICULTIES

EXPERIENCE IN ENGLAND

Some of the difficulties; that the NewZealand Government may have"tthface, when the Social Security Scheme be-? gins to operate were described, by Mr;, A: C. Mole, of Tauntoh, England, :in yth»; light-of his knowledge of the British health' insurance' scheme. Mr. Molei who is accompanied by his wife, is on, a health trip to New Zealand.' ;He ia a chartered accountant and has beei| an alderman of the Somerset County; Council for a number of years, and waj Mayor of Taunton from 1915. to .1916. While in New Zealand he proposes to' study local body administration , and; finance and the system and incidence of rates and taxes.

Mr. Mole said in an interview -with. "The Post" that' in England the health insurance scheme had undoubtedly caused a certain amount of malingering. There was no incentive for men receiving benefits under the scheme to return to work at the earliest possible moment, and to order a man to "bed for a week was often the easiest -way out for the doctor, whereas before, the insurance scheme was in operation such a course might riot have beea deemed absolutely necessary. '

It was also said in England that doctors dealing with patients under the panel system were not inclined t* give them individual attention of the same standard as was given to private patients. Many people entitled to free service under the scheme declined to go to the panel doct*br, partly because they felt that they were receiving a form of charity and partly because they believed that they obtained' better attention by attending another doctor to whom they had to pay a fee. Another objection to the panel doctor was that a visit to him frequently meant a very long wait before he could, be seen. ' ENGLISH FARMERS AND NEW ZEALAND. Asked about theattitude of JEnglis!l - farmers to importation of dairy pri> duce, Mr. Mole $aid that naturally the farmers did not want any commodities imported that would compete- 'with local production, but the trouble was that. the English farmer: had so far failed to produce meat or butter that could compare in flavour and price with the^products of New Zealand;' For instance, Canterbury lamb- cost '-about lid a pound, whereas English Jamb was Is 4"d. On top of that Canterbury lamb was always tender, and th|e,same could nrbt be said of the ; local' meat. There was- no. doubt that >New.Zealand products sold well ,in ..England, prip cipally on their own'merit;.: ' ::: ,; :;

Mr. Mole is. anxious to ascertain how farmers are affected' by "rates and taxes in New Zealand. He, said that jn England farm lands had been completely de-rated as a means of assisting the farmer. ' • Mr. and Mrs. Mole are making ' a leisurely tour of the Dominion. They propose to spend six or seven weeks in the South Island and about the same time in the North. They are-travelling under the care of the Government Tourist Department, and speak highly of the complete arrangements - mada for them.