Evening Star Newspaper, October 6, 1937, Page 29

> HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN 13 CRITICIZED American Medical Associa- tion Sees H.0.L.C. Scheme as Menace to Services. Discrimination in favor of the rich against the poor, probable increase of sick leave at heavy cost to the Govern- ment, and possible disorganization .of private medical practice in Washing- ton to the detriment of everybody are among the objections to Group Health Association, Inc., established in Wash- ington by the Home Owners' Loan Corp., by the American Medical Asso- ciation. £ The attack against this form of health insurance is made in the cur- rent issue of the association's journal, which charges that the organization, according to the terms of its charter, can provide health insurance for all Government employes and their de- pendents within a radius of 10 miles of Washington. The probable result, it is stressed. is that members will get a poor grade of medical service, especially in pe- riods when there is a great deal of sickness. If the association reaches the full size possible under its charter, the journal declares, it will make it difficult for private physiclans to earn & living in Washington. Hence the better class of physicians will be loath to establish practice here and high- class services will not be easily avail- able when needed. Physicians May Lose Caste. Physicians employed by the associa- tion, the journal declares, are “sure to lose professional status.” This would be because of the American Medical Association’s rigid rule against “resale of services.” The doctor would be drawing a salary irom the association which, in turn, would charge patients for the services he rendered. The plans, the article charges, con- template a ‘“check-off system,” by which dues would be taken from the employe’s pay. This, it holds, prob- ably is illezal and would require a spe- ciai act of Congress. It would expose employers to discrimination by bureau heads, the journal holds. difficulties likely to be experienced in finding the best consultant service and hospital accommodations. Phy- sicians who sell their services to such an organization for resale to patients are certain to lose professional status, “The probable results on the medical profession of the successful operation in the District of Columbia and vicinity even of a single asuch organization cannot be estima Out of a total population of 486,869 in the District, 115,912 are civil employes of the | United States Government. If to these persons, all of whom are eligible for membership, their dependents are added, allowing .an average of two dependents, a total of 347,736 persons is reached that the Group Health As- sociation, according to their certificate of incorporation, seeks to withdraw from the ordinary practice of medicine and to cover into a group health insur- ance contract practice system and treat through physicians hired for the pur- pose. The effect of withdrawal from private practice of even half that number of persons, all of whom are able to pay for medical services, will materially disturb medical practice in the District of Columbia and react against public interest. Rich Gain by System. “Under the scheme proposed by Group Health Association, far greater benefits will accrue to the richer and more liberally paid employes than to employes of morc meager resources, The scheme is so planned that the at rates based on the incomes of the poorest employes. The courts have repeatedly held that the value of | medical services rendered to a patient 5may be properly appraised in relation | to his wealth. Under the present scheme, fees that are charged for Liedical services to the richer are to be identical with those charged em- ployes of the lowest grade, doing part- time work. The richer and more in- fluential are therefore to gain the most financially by this scheme. Ncthing in the certificate of in- corporation or by-laws assures to those lower in the scale #zat they will receive the same quantity and class of medical service as that provided for their superiors.” would be likely to be handicapped by || richer are to obtain medical services | 4 HE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1937. SEVENTH, BISHTH and £ STRETS Ointt 7575 Spectacular Anniversary Purchase! 4,000 Better Quality WEN'S SHIRTY! at our LOWEST price of the season! ® The objections are summed up as| follows: | “There is no reason to believe that | Group Health Association, Inc., even | if it could lawfully engage in the insurance business and the practice of medicine as it proposes to do, could | materially reduce the absence rate | among officers and employes of the | H. O. L. C. or its related agencies. | Absences on account of illness might | N even be increased, for a medical cer- tificate would cost nothing. A phys cian cannot always deny that a man has a disabling headache. Quality of Service Questioned. “Since there is no evidence to show that Government employes are unable to pay for medical services, there is Lo reason to believe that the cheapen- ing of medical service will make them | more likely to seek medical aid. There s no reason to believe that the char- | acter of medical service under the Group Health Association plan can be kept at the same average level of quality as that prevailing in private practice. Especially would quality be likely to fail in times of epidemics and of any unusual prevalence of disease, | when the limited medical staff of the association would be overworked and could find no relief. In any event, medical service under the association | —— s P * talking about it— * «SOMEBODIES. are Going There! FALL OPENING of the MAYFLOWER LOUNGE Friday Evening October 8th Ten O'clock P Y1 Claire Willis Lilting Linguist of Song who makes her debut as a regular nightly performer with . . ... Sidney’s Orchestra PIERCE AND ROLAND Society Ballroom Dancers e Veo and His Viola Buddy Harmon Sid Cowen Bobby Simpson Washington’s Champagne and Orchids Opening Friday Night Only, Minimum (;ha'rqo $2.00 ‘per person. For Reservations, Call Teddy at Dlstrict 3000 ~LOUNGE. o+ Hotel Mayflower , +* -4 *« « * <& Special Recondition- ing Shampoo with your PERMANENT . . banish dry- hair _with WHELAN'S BEAUTY SALON Third Floor 1105 F Street NA. 8225 the new silhouette is pencil-slim and fur-armed Oatmeal with. Mole Pencil-slim coats will top. the most fashionable en- ° sembles you'll see on the Avenue this Fall. The fav- ored hue is oatmeal woolens, with Autumn_brown furred sleeves . . . Mole is used on the coat above. Coat Salon—Third Floor. o Trsim, fhea Yo L Moo e for o« Groey Vyesident | Mere e Bt Men! Here’s a whale of a shirt sale! A sale that will have anxious men crowding our shirt department bright and early tomorrow morn- ing! A sale that brings you 4,000 shirts at one smashing low price . « . forming one of the largest assortments we have ever been able to offer at 97c. Expect to find a choice of three collar styles . . . a greater variety of patterns, than is customary to offer at this low price . « . expect to find shirts made of fabrics that are usually found in shirts that sell for much more! And only because our tremendous purchasing power allowed us to buy these shirts in large quantities are we able to offer them to you at this low price of 97c. COLORS Whites, blues, tans, greys, white on white and several striped effects from am assortment that has been carefully selected to meet every demand. THESE MATERIALS: BROADCLOTHS —Fine lustrous cloth « +» Selected fabrics and fast color. MADRAS—End-to-end and fine woren striped madras. They're all selected fabrics and a whale of a value_at 97c. CHAMBRAY —4 richly toned patterned fabric that will stand emdless tubbings. OXFORDS—The ideal shirting for sports and business wear. WHITE ON WHITE BROAD- CLOTH —4 self figured material that's very populor with well dressed men. COLLAR STYLES: Fused collar attached . . . soft collar at- tached . .. and white neckband styles. SIZES: A4 complete range of collar sizes from 13% to 18 . . . that means a shirt for practically every build of man! Lansburgh’s—Modernized Men's Shops—Street Floor MAIL AND PHONE ORDERS PROMPTLY FILLED—DL. 7575 S BROADCLOTH PAJANAS Here’s a pajama event that will attract men to our furnishings Styles Material deplrtme::ljin droves! An event that offers you fine broadcloth -~ C Detch, (ipover and swplice Fine broadcloth in blus, tan end - yaperigly in a wide assortment of patterns and solid colors. The fine tailoring . . . the neat tailoring and the unusually fine EACH material belie this low Anniversary price! Sizes A to D. styles in famey amd solid colors. green with comtrasting trims Elastic waistbands. and pipings. Lansburgh’s—Modernised Moen’s Shops—=Sirest Floor, i