“Taranaki Central Press” WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16 1937. THE HEALTH SCHEME

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 458, 16 June 1937, Page 4

“Taranaki Central Press” WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16 1937. THE HEALTH SCHEME

The unwillingness of the Government to make public any information concerning its national health insurance scheme is difficult to understand. This is a big policy measure, very farreaching in its probable effects, and according to Ministerial statements it is to be introduced in Parliament during the coming session and passed into law. It is a new idea that the public are not entitled to know what the proposals are and to discuss them before the Government proceeds to legislation. According to the Acting-Prime Minister the investigations are not complete and no decision has been reached on the scope of the scheme. Yet it is well known that for some considerable time past the medical profession has been considering a scheme, laid before it apparently with authority, and it what Mr Fraser now says is correct the Medical Association has been wasting its time. It is quite to be understood that the doctors should be asked to discuss how the scheme should be worked, because free medical advice and treatment are essential parts of it, but they certainly could not consider this aspect if the scheme were not before them in virtually completed form. But the public, who, as taxpayers, will have to foot the bill, are just as interested as are the doctors who will be paid under it. A revolutionary proposal of this magnitude ought not to be rushed on to the Statute Book. It will not be easily operated, and in its initial stages there is going to be much confusion, but the troubles will be far greater than they need be if the present policy of secrecy is maintained. The public have to be educated, and the sooner the process is started the better. Ihe details which Mr Fraser says are still undecided do not matter greatly. The tax may be 6d or it may be Bd. What really masters is whether the principle of the scheme is acceptable to the public, whether the taxation is or is not to be an addition to the present cost of medical attention and treatment to the community and whether the community is likely to get value for its money.