HEALTH INSURANCE

Waikato Times, Volume 119, Issue 19885, 14 May 1936, Page 11

HEALTH INSURANCE

CANADIAN PLAN. BRITISH COLUMBIA ACTS. VICTORIA, 8.C., April 24. A plan or health insurance under which essential medical services will he made available to about 300.000 wsirlenis of British Columbia. has. been limited by ihe Government for pro‘iiiiflllOll to ihn Legislature .lan pro-‘ml-ly will become law at an early ivlii‘. The average cost to ihe wage—-”-il‘llel' fur pi'niel'ilon of himself (ind -3~ family is about '2O pence weekly. .\ierlival val'u by ihe physician or lll‘zl‘On i‘iinsen by the. insured person WW: hospital Cill‘l‘, services of (lingmsiiu laboratories, necessary drugs .mi medicines and a maierniiy cash wneilt of H are “mandatory benefits." \'m'ious other medical services are *‘iermissive benefits“ which may he wanted it suillcient funds are avail—..iiie after payment of mandatory benellts. The ‘bill deals with the family as a unit, including dependent wives and rhildren with their wage—earner huehunds, as insured persons. The plan is to cover all employees vzn‘ning less than £360 per year, exvvpt farm workers. Members of existing industrial or fraternal medical service schemes shall he excluded if they are assured of benefits “substantially equivalent" to iimsc granted under- .ihe' provincial scheme.

Provislnn Is also made for the invlusion of other persons. such as merchants, farmers and others not work-in-g for wages who earn less than £360 and who may 1010 as voluntary vontributors.

The plan is to be financed by contributions from employees and employers and a grant In aid or organ!sation by the Government of £IO,OOO. The employee will pay two per cent of his wages and the employer one per cent of his payroll for Insured persons.

Hospital service in a public ward is to be given for a period not to exceed 10 consecutive wegks for any one illness. Those who desire semiprivate or private ward oars may obtain this 'by paying the difference be—tween public ward rates and other rates.

Anolher provision is for a mater—nity cash allowance of £4 "to any woman who is confined elsewhere than in a hospital}: She will have no doctors' hills as she will be entitled to full service of a physician without charge- .. .A ‘.

The commission is to make it sown {lnanPial arrangements with doctors, druggisis. hospitals, laboratories and others persons or agencies providing services. In the case of doctors. any one or three methods of payment may he used. a salary system, a per capita system, or a fee system, with an allotted pool of money. It the per capita or the fee and pool system is used it is provided that there shall be set aside for the payment or doctors not less than 18 shillings per in-‘ sured person per year and not more‘ than 22 shillings. l