National Health

For years now Congress has succeeded in juggling the white hot national health issue with a dexterity amazing even for so nimble fingered veterans of the political sleight of hand circuit as fill the Capital halls. Last Saturday ringmaster Harry C. Truman informed the boys that it was time to cut the act short.

The President submitted proposals for a National health insurance bill. In addition to the administration measure, there are two other health plan bills, one backed by Senator Robert A. Taft; the other, by Senator Lister Hill. All three bills and almost everyone concerned with the debate over the nation's health are in basic agreement on one thing: something has to be done.

The nation has only four-fifths as many doctors as it needs. Estimates as to the numbers of deaths attributable to inadequate medical care run as high as almost 350,000 annually. Medical care is scarcest where it is needed most. With increasing specialization, medical costs have risen so high that a serious illness in most white collar families, even in those who are able to pay for proper medical facilities, can devour more than a quarter of the family income and completely shatter a budget.

Almost everybody is agreed also on the broad outlines of what has to be done. All three bills ask for more doctors, more and better hospitals, and an extensive research program. The dynamite in the President's proposal lies in how he intends to make health services available to more people.

The Taft and Hill proposals utilize "voluntary" plans such as the Blue Cross. They would advance federal grants to the states to pay for those who cannot afford the premiums. Truman's Fair Deal medicine is much more far reaching. It would apply to everyone in the Social Security system, at least 85,000,000 persons. An additional 3% payroll tax would pay for it, 1 1-2% from the employee, 1 1-2% from the employer.

There will be a lot of talk in the continuing debate over health insurance about the "compulsory" Truman proposals. The Fair Deal plan is compulsory only in the sense that the social security system is compulsory--the deductions will be made under law from everybody's payroll.

Patients are free to use the plan or not as they choose. They can pick their own doctor. Doctors are free to accept or reject a patient, and they are able to determine the kind and extent of treatment they will use. Doctors do not become government employees nor are patients compelled to go to any doctor they do not wish to. Administration will be as decentralized as possible with local groups composed of lay and medical personnel taking care of the bulk of it. Patient-doctor relationships will be unaltered. The major change from the private medical system will be the man who pays the bills. Under the Fair Deal plan, the government-run insurance company takes care of the expenses.

The Taft and Hill bills provide for the indigent in the manner of a relief agency. In contrast, the Truman proposal covers more than half of the nation. It absorbs most of the shock for that enormous group who can afford proper care for serious illnesses only at the expense of their normal standard of living. Harry Truman summed it up as well as anybody could: "Medical care is needed as a right and not as a medical dole."