Doctor Dispels Fog
On Insurance Plan
by IRA DEAN McCOY, M. D.
(Second of 2 Article*.)
Washington. — A continuous
smokescreen has been laid down by
special interests to befog the pub
Ik’s mind on what National Health
Insurance is and what it would
mean to the doctor and the patient.
Proponents of ^-National Health
Insurance cherish the freedom and
intimacy of the doctor-patient re
lationship as much as our die-hard
opponents. Patients, as now, would
select their own doctors; doctors,
as now, would accept or reject pa
tients. National eHalth Insurance
is just a method of paying for med
ical care.
The only change proposed by ad
vocates of Natoinal Health Insur
ance is that, instead of the patient
paying when and if he has money
available, the doctor or the hos
pital of his choice would be paid
by the insurance system at a rate
.. and by a method to which the doc
tor had agreed.
Those who support National
Health Insurance are keenly aware
that our nation has fewer physi
cians and hospital beds than we
need, and these so poorly distribut
ed that in some rural counties there
are no resident physicians at all,
and little or no hospitalisation ac
cessible.
Nevertheless, it is unrealistk to(
argue that National Health Insur
ance should be delayed for the
pears required to train many more
doctors and build many more hos
pitals. The supply of medical per
sonnel and facilities will expand
only when, through insurance, the
money to pay for them is guaran
teed. Ibis demand depends on fam
ilies’ purchasing power for medical
care. This is the simple principle
of supply and. that administrative
i-';
costs would be excessive.
The first answer to this objec
tion Is that the nation needs to
spend more for health. Too many
of us hsve been doing without for
too long. Moreover, a large part
of the expenditures under National
Health Insurance would not be new
or added expenditures. Money now
expended in direct payments for
medical care by sick persons would
be distributed under the plan in
small regular payments from all
people. Consequently, the costs <f
sickness —ordinarily conceatiwted
upon a small part of the p*pds
tion in any gven year—would be
spread over the whole year and
over all the people.
As for administrative costs, it is
worth nothing that expenses of vol
untary, nonprofit plans run to 12
percent or more in comparison with
the premiums collected. An import
ml part of these -administrative
expenses is the oast of soliciting
and retaining members, a tart that
wold be eliminated by National
Health Insurance.
Many other costa would also be
eliminated by National Health In
surance. It might at this time be
interesting to note that the Blue
Cross of Michigan has approxi
mately 1,600.000 policy holders, or
subscribers, as they choose to call
the people who are buying Blue
Cross Insurance.
From January 1 until Jun* 30,
1949, the Blue Cross of Michigan
had a total earned income of $12,
899,566.87. But during that same
period of time their operating ex
pense was $1,135,477 46. Of that
$1,135,477.46 are some interesting
items of expense: $711,990.07 was
paid out in salaries; $47,547.09 was
paid out in travel and other ex
penses; and $79,783.54 was paid
out in “sundry” expenses (of which
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HOTEL SB WALTER
%
ARTHUR E. BUDDENHAGEN,
Manager
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RALEIGH, NORTH CAROUNA
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Compliments
BIRTH CAROUNA ASSOCIATION FOR
WINE CONTROL
W. CAPERS WHITE, Director
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raleigh, North Carolina
f
HENDERSON COnON MILLS
HARRIET COTTON MRS
a
Manufacturers of
v FINE KNITTING AND WEAVING
YARNS
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HENDERSON, N. C.
no explanation to made.)
By these few figures I have
given, H is very plain to bo soon
that the administrative costs of
the Michigan Bloc Croat are trh
mendoos in comparison to the
amount of money collected from
their policy holder*. It is, however,
a nonprofit corporation. A great
many patrons who are using the
Blue Cross learn to their sorrow
its services are limited. Ths could
be doe to the huge expenses I have
already eted.
As a result of the very cunning,
insidious, and extremely expensive
propaganda campaign carried on
by the medical lobby, tbc American
Medical Association and its Nation
al Physician’s Committee, most peo
ple think that all doctors, or nearly
all, unqualifiedly follow the AMA
“party line” in opposition to Na
tional Health Insurance.
The dictatorial, undemocratic rule
of the AMA’s House of Delegates
imposes its policies practically by
fiat on a hapless and helpless mem
bership. Serious disagreement by
an individual doctor with the poli
cies laid down by the House of
Delegates or by his local medical
society may result in unpleasant
economic and professional conse
quences for that doctor. Few dee
tors dare risk these consequences.
But opposition to AMA reaction
has been growing and has express
ed itself in several organisations
of doctors who arein favor of Na
tional Health Insurance and who
say so openly. These organisations
—the Committee of Physicians for
the Improvement of Medical Care,
the Physician’s Forum, and the
Committee for the National Health,
composed of both laymen and doc
tors—are becoming growing spear
heads of opposition to the entrench
ed leaders of the AMA.
The American Medical Associa
tion has been spoon-feeding the
American people * lebfifW ArttPihr
of propaganda against National
Health Insurance; but I can cite
the hill itself and tell you as well
as anyone just what it is and what
it will do for yarn
1. It weald make available to yen
and all other employed and aelf
! employed perseae (with few excep
tions) all the cant you need from
I physicians, both family doctors and
specialists, hospital, laboratory and
X-ray services, unusually expen
sive medicines, eyeglasses, and ap
pliances; and dental care and home
nursing to a limited degree.
2. It would also cover the de
pendent members of your family.
S. You would be free to choose
your own doctor, hospital, etc., and
to change your selection. Actually j
countless individuals would have j
greater freedom of choice than they
have now, because the prepaid plan
of health insurance would help as- j
sure a better supply of physicians I
in many areas where there are not;
now enough doctors, and because
the prepayment plan would enable
millions who cannot now pay, to
have the services of a doctor of
their choice for the first time. ,
4. Your doctor’s professional
freedom would be fully protected.
He would not become a government
employe. He would remain a prac
titioner, free to accept or reject
patients, to locate wherever he
wishes, to participate in, or stay
outside, the insurance plan. He1
would be paid by the insurance ■
funds in amounts and methods
which he or his own representative
would negotiate.
hoarly.
5. It would cost you 1 1-2 percent
of your earning* (op to RMO of
income). Your employer weald pay
an equal amount. Yon weald pay
3 percent (up to $4,MO) if you aro
self-employed.
4 If you are a member of a vol
untary health insurance plan that
meets minimum standards, this
plan could continue to provide you
with services and your premiums
would be paid from the national in
surance fund.
7. Health insurance would not be
run from Washington. It would bt
managed by local areas under a
plan adopted by each state.
In view of the above-mentioned
facts it is almost impossible to un
derstand the American Medical As
sociation’s bitter opposition espec
ially when the AMA House of Dele
gates in 1916 petitioned the Con
gress to spread a universal health
insurance over all the American
people. This petition was recalled
or withdrawn in 1920.
Many of us fear the threat of
Communism but do we all realise
the best way to combat the scourge
of Communism Is to increase the
opportunities of the ordinary indi
vidual? America is great enough
and rich enough that we should
have no slums, we should have
equal opportunity insofar as pub
lic school education is concerned in
this country for all our children
whatever their color or creed. All
children have a right in this groat
country of ours to healthy and
sound bodies insofar as our medical
9 Coke for refreshment
Mmw <*«»m mh«mi •» ««a ii
COCA-COLA BOTTLING COMPANY
♦ , HENDERSON, N. C. _
science can give it to them.
These are not visionary ideals
We can and must find a way for
their fulfillment. “He stands
straight who stoops to help a
child.”
GAINS AVERAGE 3 CENTS.
San Francisco.—The California
Federation of Labor reports that
wage and other gains won by AFL
onions during December 1949 aver
aged 3 cents an hour for 19,000
workers covered. The average gain
for 9,000 of the total was 6 cents
__ _————
PLAN CONFERENCES.
Washington.—A national confer
ence on workmen’s compensation .
and rehabilitation win meet here
March 22 and 23. William Connol
ly, director of the Labor Depart
ment’s Bureau of Labor Standards, .
heads a planing committee repre
senting various interested- groups.
Members of this committee include
Lewis G. Hines, of the American.
Federation of Labor.
The AFL supports the American.
Heart Association drive. .
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CONTRACTORS ATTENTION!
RASTIC WALL TILE INSTALLED
Estimates Carefully Given
builders products company
South Blount Street Extension j
Phone 3-9251 RALEIGH, N. C.
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(Pefitiesl Advertisement)
WILLIS SMITH IS A FRIEND I
OF THE WORKING PEOPLE
• 1 • ^ '
Hie American Working Han Does Not
Want Socialism, Regimentation and
Bureaucratic Control of Bs Job
HIS RECORD PROVES IT j
• Willis Smith came up the hard-working ambitious America* way. j
He knows what it is to have to earn a living, and he knows the
problems of the working man. He is a practical man, not a theorist.
o As a legislator and as Speaker of the North Carolina House of Rep
resentatives, he supported and helped enact the WORKMEN’S
COMPENSATION LAW, still regarded as one of the finest lawn
ever passed for the working man In this State.
o He believes in high wage scales.
0 He believes the high standard of living of the American working
man cpmes from our free competitive system. He will fighdo save
the country from the fate of Socialist England.
o He is opposed to any program of socialism which would tear down
and destroy the American system of government.
— o He is opposed to Communism and to the Communists who seek to
slow down and eventually stop the wheels of industry. They know
that the only force keeping Russia quiet is the power of American
1 • industry.
Willis Smith Will Save The
Working Man From C
THE FEPC is more dangerous to the Southern working man than
to anyone else in America. It will stir up strife and hate between races .
in the South.
The FEPC will mun that a man’s Job can be claimed by another
man Just because he is of a different race or color or even a different
regiliou.
The FEPC will mean the end of freedom to decide whom you will
work with. All this would be decided by Federal bureaucrats from
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The FEPC has been promoted by the Communist Party as one way
to stir up racial discord and hatred, and if weaken this country. -
Support Willis Smith For U. S. Se ate
THIS AD PAID FOR BY MECKLENBURG SUPPORTERS OF WILLIS SMITH—RICHARD E. THIGPEN, Manager