HEALTH INSURANCE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 28 April 1938, Page 7

HEALTH INSURANCE

CRITICISM OF GOVERNMENT SCHEME VIEWS OF BRITISH MEDICAL ASSOCIATION. NO APPRECIABLE ADVANTAGE. TO COMMUNITY. (By Telegraph —Press Association). WELLINGTON, April 28. Complete objection to the Government’s national health insurance proposals was expressed by the New Zealand Branch of the British Medical Association, giving evidence before the Select Committee of the House of Representatives yesterday. Summing up its attitude, the association said it saw in the projected universal general practitioner scheme a mistaken method of approach to the problem of raising the standard of health of the community; no appreciable advantage in the treatment of disease over what was possessed at present; unnecessary interference with and discouragement of individual initiative and enterprise; State domination over people’s freedom and professional liberty; and deterioration of the standard of medical work.

“It appears to us,” the association said, “that the desire for a universal system arises from enthusiasm for a socio-political conception rather than from considerations of practical necessity.” The Prime Minister’s proposals provided little for the people which was not available to them at the present time, and did nothing to remove real impediments to efficient treatment. The proposals suggested that the Government was more concerned with changing the present system than with improving the medical service of the people. The association desired that, so far as practicable, obstacles- to obtaining necessary service should be removed wherever they existed in order that everyone should have access to complete necessary medical attention. It considered, however, that to attain that end it was neither necessary nor desirable to restrict the freedom of the people to seek their medical attention as and where they preferred. Nor was it desirable that individual responsibility in the matter should be lessened or abolished.

“In any steps we take,” the association added, “we should keep our feet on the firm ground of experience, direct • attention first to the needs which are greater, and employ methods which are related to practical requirements.”