CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 220, 17 August 1937, Page 4

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

HEALTH INSURANCE SCHEME

A special meeting of the Feilding Chamber of Commerce was held iast evening, when Dr. K. G. Salmond gave an address on the national health insurance scheme. The speaker was deputed by the Manawatu branch of the B.M.A. to expound the scheme. Ihe president (Mr A. J. Humphreys) presided and others present were Hon. J. G. Cobbe, M.P., Mr G. J. Fitzpatrick, and Mr A. C. McCorkindale. A number of apologies for absence were received. Early this year, said "the speaker, the Government set np a National Health Investigation Committee to go into the question and report back to Parliament with the view of bringing in a National Health Insurance Bill which would probably be passed and’ put into operation early next year. P The committee was composed al ent wRh ly Dr° f jTg McMillan" as chairman. For a long time the o a were in the dark as to A\nab form the Bill would take; all that was known was that the Government was determined to make the sclieme m - versa! and compu sory Numerous meetings were held by tne w branches of the association and m tions were passed practically unanim

ously that the B.M.A. was only too willing to co-operate with the Government in a health insurance scheme for those wlio could not afford proper medical attention, but it was felt that any State medical service for those above a gross income of £250 a year would benefit neither patients nor doctors. The B.M.A. felt that under any universal scheme the doctor would he too busy to give proper time to each individual patient; too much attention would he paid to curative and not enough to preventive medicine; that the good feeling between doctor and patient that exists at present would be lost; that the incentive for reading, overseas study, and research would l>e greatly diminished; that it would tend to lower the standard of modical practice ill Now Zealand —a standard which at present stood very high compared with other countries; above all, the B.M.A. objected strongly to the principle of the scheme whereby private enterprise was interfered with in so much as its members would find themselves nothing more nor less than civil servants. Dr. Salmond proceeded to outline the scheme recommended by the investigation committee and the B.M.A. plan recently published In the “Standard.” “Once this Bill is law the Government is in complete charge,” said Dr Salmond. “The B.M.A. realise that the Government is absolutely sincere in its endeavour to improve the facilities for proper medical attention in New Zealand,, and we also realise that some provision must be made for those who cannot afford this medical attention. Hence the B.M.A. plan of health insurance. The B.M.A. feci that any improvement in the health service

of the community should be of an evolutionary character' and suggest that the earliest improvement bo in _the direction of giving the necessary service as fully as possible to those who are unable to provide for themselves. Even the introduction of a limited system envoives increased expenditure and thus increased taxation. In the light of experience further improvement and extension' may be made as needs appear and means become available. Tne Government’s universal scheme is going to cost 7d in the £. Is there anything in tho health of the country to warrant such an increase of taxation?” asked the speaker, “I think you will agree with me in that it is only right that wo should all have the opoprtunity to weigh the cost against the assumed advantage.” Mr Humphreys, expressed thanks to the doctor for his remarks. The meeting decided not to take any action in the matter pending further information regarding the Government’s policy.