MATERNITY BENEFITS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 143, 17 May 1940, Page 6

MATERNITY BENEFITS.

IMPORTANT EXTENSION. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, May 16, The Social Security (Supplementary Maternity Benefits) Regulations, 1940, which were gazetted this evening, are designed to extend the maternity benefits to auy woman who has made arrangements in accordance with tho principal regulations to obtain hospital or nursing services in relation to the maternity benefits, but who, subsequently, because of-, an emergency or circumstances of an exceptional nature, is compelled to obtain other services.

Since the commencement of the maternity benefits, cases have occurred of women who have made arrangements with a contracting maternity hospital, or have engaged the services of a contracting obstetric nurse, but when the services have been required they have been unable to obtain them for reasons beyond the patient’s control, for instance, because the accommodation at the maternity hospital was fully occupied or because the obstetric nurse -was not available. In these circumstances, it has been necessary for women to obtain at short notice hospital or nursing services in respect of which no maternity benefits are payable under the principal regulations. } The supplementary regulations now gazetted empower the Minister of Health, on being satisfied that a woman has obtained skilled services of a kind ordinarily included in the maternity benefits, *to approve of an appropriate payment from the Social Security Lund for such " services. Alternative services in respect of which l>enefits may be paid under these supnlementarv regulations are those afforded in a licensed medical and surgical hospital or a licensed maternity hospital, or by a registered midwife, registered maternity nurse, or registered nurse. The regulations have no application to a woman who has not made prior arrangements with a contracting licensed maternity hospital, with a public bos.pital, ivitli a State maternity hospital, or with a contracting obstetric nurse. Claims for benefits under the regulations may be made in respect of services obtained at any time since the commencement of the maternity benefits and should he made to the Medical Officer of Health for flip district in which the applicant resides.