HOSPITAL COSTS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 7 May 1941, Page 8

HOSPITAL COSTS

THE QUESTION OF RELIEF FOR RATEPAYERS HEALTH MINISTER SUGGESTS NATIONAL SYSTEM. OUT-PATIENT BENEFITS. - (By Telegraph—Press Association.) NEW PLYMOUTH, May 6/ “There is a question today whether we ought to continue the existing system of making local ratepayers responsible for a great portion of the cost of hospitals,” said the Minister of Health, Mr Nordmeyer, addressing members of the Taranaki Hospital Board today. There was considerable discrepancy in the ratings in the hospital districts, he said. Some hospitals were shockingly overcrowded, and to ask these boards to improve their accommodation would mean imposing on them a burden greater than they should bear. “We have come to the point where we have to take a stand and see if we cannot get a more equitable system of rating," said Mr Nordmeyer. “We should be able to evolve a. system which would stabilise borough and county rates —a system where the cost of hospitals would be a national and not a local cost. Some better system has to be devised of lessening the burden on seme of the more highly rated districts.” That the question of the actual amount hospital boards were to receive for out-patient benefits under the social security scheme was left in the air deliberately was pointed out by Mr Nordmeyer. “This has been done deliberately,” said the Minister. “It has not been left in the air because of any departmental bungling or because the Minister cannot make up his mind. The reason is that we want to see after a few months how the system is working with a view to arriving at a fair and equitable payment. This is far better than assessing an arbitrary figure which later we may have to admit was not fair and equitable. In the light of the figures that will, be submitted to us we will make our decision.”