Public Service Association

Hokitika Guardian, 22 April 1922, Page 2

Public Service Association

establishing a medical fund

’WELLINGTON, April 20.

The New Zealand Public Service As* sociation purposes forming a medical fund in 'Wellington, and a scheme has now been carefully thought out and placed before the Public Servants in die capital. It is believed that when well-established, this fund will help the public servants to combat the high c.st of living, and the reduced rate of wages. Admission to the fund can be

'btained only by financial members of die New Zealand Public Service Association, after satisfactory medical examination of themselves, and also, ir married of their wives. Llterd is to be .n entrance fee of five shillings per

t.ember and an annual subscription tf £T a year. The scheme, which is said to be actuarially sound, has some novel features. Liberal benefits are provided to the extent of a refund of 50 per cent, of a member’s expenses for medioal attention. This means that a member of

.he fund, when necessity arises,, consults any medical man he thinks fit, without any suggestion between himself and the doctor of any subsidy, either expressed or implied. After payment of the doctor’s account the member produces his receipt, when a refund of i pei' cent of the charge is made to him personally. This refund hag been fixed at a maximum payent to the member of os 3d for each visit to or by a doctor. In maternity cases, a still further benefit is provided by way of a grant of £3 3s to a member who has been at least twelve months in the fund.

On receipt of 500 applications, the committee will arrange regarding medi. cal examination and a general meeting cl members will he called to formulate rules, elect officers, and arrange mata.'rs generally. Arrangements have been made with certain doctors to earnout the medical examination at a special rate of 5s each, but the member need not go to these doctors unless 1 e likes.