We have already answered this question for our area by saying emphatically, "No." However, we realize that there may be come areas where financial help to older people is needed. For these needy citizens, the Kerr-Mills law is now being implemented in those States where the need exists. This law covers all needy older persons and is, therefore, nondiscriminatory. (2) What percentage of the older people overall actually need help? Certain studies done by the combined groups of several universities have indicated that the percentage of people over 65 who actually need medical help is in the neighborhood of 15 percent of the total. The present legislative proposal plans to help, whether they need it or not, only 50 percent of the people in this age group, those receiving social security benefits. (3) Do the older people actually want Federal help? It is our opinion in discussing these factors with older people who are our patients and who are in a position to answer this question that they do not want Federal help. One of the last things an older individual wishes to do is to give up his sense of independence. Psychologically this is very valuable to him and we believe the imposition of this type of legislation upon the older population will create many additional psychological problems which are unnecessary and actually cruel if our society is to remain free. (4) Do younger people approve of this type of proposal? In discussing this question with our patients, many of whom have older citizens living with them, we find that the vast majority are opposed to the principle of H.R. 4222. (5) Suggestions to improve this type of legislation are as follows: (a) The aid, if needed, should be administered to all proven needy, and to only those who are proven needy, regardless of age. This is already being done in our State by the IPAC and our medical society approves the helping of people who are in need, regardless of age, sex, race, or social security status, etc. This has always been done on an individual basis and is still being done by doctors everywhere. This does not necessitate a degrading or pauperizing attitude, nor necessitate an embarrassing situation to the patient as has been indicated by certain social planners and union officials. It is noteworthy that all persons who are on social security rolls must certify as to their earnings-this is established in the law; likewise, it is necessary to establish this fact in obtaining union or company benefit funds. Therefore, it is a well-established fact that the person who is in need should be the one who is helped. We believe that this should be done in all segments of the society and as much as possible at the closest local level. (b) Do not jeopardize already existing effective programs in the field by setting up a Federal program in competition with these already existing programs: (1) Local community programs. (2) Privately endowed programs. (3) Church and charitable organization work. (4) Private health insurance. (5) Union plans. (6) State welfare programs. Our program of medical care is voluntary; it will provide medical care to those over 65 who need and want it; it will be administered locally; it will be economical; it will supplement voluntary health insurance; and it will maintain the high quality of existing medical care. We are unalterably opposed to H.R. 4222. It would not provide medical care to those over 65 who need it most; it is compulsory; it would be administered on the Federal level; it would be staggeringly expensive; it would undermine the voluntary insurance system in this country in an area where it has made its greatest strides in recent years, namely, in supplying coverage for individuals over 65; it would establish a precedent, which in the future, would completely destroy the private practice of medicine and leave in its wake a system of inferior medical care. We urgently recommend that H.R. 4222 not be favorably considered by this committee. LOGAN COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY, Hon. NOAH M. MASON, House Ways and Means Committee, New House Office Building, Washington, D.C. DEAR SIR: Please find enclosed the statement from the Logan County Medical Society, Logan County, Ill., concerning their feelings in respect to the KingAnderson bill now in committee. It is our desire to have this statement included House Ways and Means Committee in their in record of proceedings of the hearings of the King-Anderson bill. Sincerely, LELAND L. CROSS, M.D., President, Logan County Medical Society. STATEMENT OF LOGAN COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY, LINCOLN, ILL. We of the Logan County Medical Society believe that H.R. 4222, or the KingAnderson bill, does not fulfill a desirable need of the American people. Two basic reasons seem important in this decision. First, health-care programs sponsored through social security do not provide care for those groups of people and those ages of people in completeness such as the Kerr-Mills law enacted by Congress last year. The second, and perhaps main reason for the doctors here approving the Kerr-Mills law in contrast to their disapproval of the KingAnderson bill is that the care provided would be based on need primarily. When taxation is based upon a specific need for all who are in need and not on the basis of a group of selected percentage of our population, a real need is fulfilled and taxation is justifiable. CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE, Washington, D.C., August 3, 1961. Re proceedings on H.R. 4222. HOUSE COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS, House Office Building: The attached statements are submitted to the committee for inclusion in the record of proceedings on H.R. 4222. N. M. MASON, Member of Congress. Hon. NOAH MASON, SULLIVAN, ILL., July 31, 1961. Member of Congress, House Office Building, Washington, D.C. DEAR SIR: In our July meeting of the Moultrie County Medical Society, we resolved to go on record in opposition to the King-Anderson bill, H.R. 4222, for the following reasons: (1) It covers only those covered by social security, regardless of their need. (2) Medical care provided under the social security system would be compulsory. (3) The bill would lead to the decline, if not the end, of private voluntary health insurance. (4) The bill is repugnant to our concepts of free enterprise form of government. (5) The King-Anderson bill is totally unnecessary. enacted the Kerr-Mills bill. Yours truly, Last year the Congress DALE VANDEN BRINK, M.D., Secretary, Moultrie County Medical Society. CLINTON, ILL., July 28, 1961. RESOLUTION PASSED BY THE DE WITT COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY ON JULY 26, 1961 Whereas the King-Anderson bill (1) Is incomplete in coverage of medical care for the aged; (2) Includes those willing and able to provide their own medical care; (3) Would lead to very high increase in the social security tax; (4) Would lead to a decline of private voluntary health insurance programs; (5) Would provide poorer medical care for the aged because of the interference by Government employees; and (6) Is a step toward socialized medicine; and Whereas the Kerr-Mills Act (1) Provides medical care to every aged person who needs help; (2) Would be run with a minimum of delay, redtape, and wasted tax dollars; and (3) Would maintain the patient's freedom of choice of physicians and the doctor's freedom to treat his patient in an individual way, therefore preserving the quality of medical care: Therefore be it Resolved, That the De Witt County Medical Society is opposed to the KingAnderson bill. (Signed) ROBERT E. MYERS, M.D., Secretary, De Witt County Medical Society. RESOLUTION OF MACON COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY, DECATUR, ILL. (1) Be it resolved that the Macon County Medical Society hereby favors the Kerr-Mills law; and (2) Be it resolved that the Macon County Medical Society urges continued implementation and utilization of the Kerr-Mills law; and (3) Be it resolved that the Macon County Medical Society does not approve the King-Anderson bill. Hon. NOAH MASON, House Ways and Means Committee, MONTICELLO, ILL., July 25, 1961. Room 1102, New Office Building, Washington, D.C. DEAR SIR: As secretary of the Piatt County Medical Society, State of Illinois, I have been instructed to write to you by the members of our society to ask you as a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, to help protect the interests of our society and the interests of the entire Nation. We feel that there should be strong opposition to the King-Anderson bill, and we would appreciate anything that you can do to prevent this bill from becoming legislation. Also, we would appreciate if a copy of this letter would be placed in the records of the House Ways and Means Committee. I thank you on behalf of the society for any consideration that you can give to this request. Sincerely, Secretary, Piatt County Medical Society, State of Illinois. MONTGOMERY COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY, The King-Anderson bill is Government dictation as to what drugs and treatment a doctor can provide his patients. This would mean poorer, not better, health care for the aged. The Montgomery County Medical Society advocates nothing but the best for our aged populace, as stated in the Kerr-Mills bill. We feel that the Kerr-Mills Act will preserve the quality of medical care and maintain the patient's choice of a physician. We are against enactment of the King-Anderson bill. The King-Anderson ill would be unfair in that young workers would be taxed for medical care for nillions of aged persons who have never contributed anything to the program and many of whom are able and willing to take care of themselves. J. JOHNSTON, M.D., President. M. J. HANTOVER, M.D., M.P.H., STATEMENT OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY (ILL.) MEDICAL SOCIETY IN OPPOSITION TO H.R. 4222 This statement is presented by James E. Wheeler, M.D., privately practicing medicine in Belleville, Ill., as an official representative of the St. Clair County (Ill.) Medical Society. The St. Clair County Medical Society represents more than 175 members practicing in this county and is more than 100 years old, and have on file, minutes of meetings held, as far back as 1841. During this time, the citizens of St. Clair County have had excellent care and no one, young or old, rich or poor, has been without such care. Members of St. Clair County Medical Society were active in support of a bill recently passed by the legislative bodies of this State, to implement and finance the Kerr-Mills bill in this State, and now it is awaiting Governor Kerner's signature. We feel this is the proper approach to medical care of the aged. St. Clair County Medical Society is proud of its program in taking care of older people, and we know of no older people who are denied medical care because of their financial condition. St. Clair County established the first committee on aging in Illinois, and this committee is still active. We organized the St. Clair County Council on Aging and finance this group whose purpose is to coordinate all activities in the field of aging in St. Clair County. The council of aging has conducted meetings with hospitals and nursing home representatives, to establish adequate hospital and nursing home relationships and criteria for transferring patients from hospitals to nursing homes. On September 7, 1961, the committee of aging will conduct an intensive program of care of the stroke patient, using St. Clair County as a pilot study. That evening Dr. Edward Cordon, director of physical medicine at Michael Reese Hospital, Chicago, Ill., will address the St. Clair County Medical Society on "The Modern Concepts of the Care of Stroke Patients," and will be assisted by a neurologist and a neurosurgeon, also from Chicago. St. Clair County Medical Society has long supported the visiting nurse association, who do home care. We also actively supported and have a medical advisory committee which formulates medical policy of a complete home care program, which started in St. Clair County July 1, 1961. It is felt that the majority of patients requiring this service will be over 65 years of age. Federal control, as in H.R. 4222, would endanger these and other voluntary programs. St. Clair County Medical Society has been active in State programs for the older citizens. Having membership and chairman of the Illinois State Medical Society Committee on Aging, and membership and chairman of the Illinois Public Aid Commission Medical Advisory Committee and members on the boards of directors of both Illinois Blue Shield plans. St. Clair County Medical Society has endorsed and implemented the 12-point program for the care of older people, adopted by the Illinois State Medical Society. We have approved the resolutions of the Illinois State Medical Society for care of the older people with limited income and assets. We are participating in the Blue Shield plans for limited fees for these older people. The above is submitted to show what we are doing in our county medical society for the elderly citizens in the field of health and to show that there is no need for H.R. 4222. A survey recently made by Southern Illinois University, in Belleville and East St. Louis (St. Clair County) of elderly people, shows that 31 percent had a income of $1,000 to $2,500; 18 percent, $2,500 to $5,000; and 5 percent over $5,000 per year. Only 15.6 percent considered their health poor, 46.58 percent said they were not under the care of a physician, and only 26 percent saw a physician more than once a month. More than 59 percent had insurance covering hospital and medical care; 69.34 percent felt that medical, hospital, and dental care in 1959 presented no serious burden; 54.79 percent had no concern about future medical expenses; 11.78 percent said they never worry about future expenses; and 30.41 percent did have concern about future medical expenses. Illinois has passed a law carrying funds to implement the Kerr-Mills bill. which gives aid to those so needing, which we feel is the proper method of caring for the aged. The members of St. Clair County Medical Society vigorously oppose enactment of H.R. 4222, and any other programs leading to socialism, for we feel that our elderly people are adequately taken care of under existing welfare programs, and the H.R. 4222 is uneconomical, and would cause deterioration of the excellent medical care that these elderly people now receive. Mr. LEO H. IRWIN, SHELBYVILLE, ILL., July 29, 1961. Chief Counsel, House Ways and Means Committee, DEAR SIR: We of the Shelby County Medical Society believe the KingAnderson bill now being considered by the Congress is not in the best interests of the American people. We therefore wish to go on record as opposing this measure in its entirety. Yours very truly, DUNCAN BIDDLECOMBE, M.D., Secretary, Shelby County Medical Society. STATEMENT OF THE VERMILION COUNTY (ILL.) MEDICAL SOCIETY IN OPPOSITION TO H.R. 4222 The Vermilion County Medical Society, Vermilion County, Ill., submits the following statement in opposition to H.R. 4222 now under consideration by your committee. This report has been composed by Dr. David Engelking, Danville, Ill., with the assistance of several members of the county medical society. The Vermilion County Medical Society is composed of 84 active members, constituting 100 percent of the physicians practicing private medicine in Vermilion County. It was formed in 1910 for the purpose of making the efforts of the profession more effective in protecting the public from inadequate, improperhealth care. The largest community in Vermilion County is Danville, Ill., with 41,900 population. The population of the county is 96,176. The Vermilion County Medical Society has in the past and currently continues to sponsor monthly scientific programs conducted by leaders in various fields of medicine. The members have also brought American Academy of General Practice postgraduate courses to this area. These programs are designed to assist the doctors of the county to keep abreast of the latest medical knowledge. The society pays for an emergency call service to assist people to locate a doctor in case of emergency when their doctor cannot be reached and to assist new people in the county to find a doctor when needed by calling the service as listed in the telephone book. It supplies doctors to cover the emergency room at each of the two general hospitals in Danville, Ill. The society conducts the annual school physical examinations for the first, fifth, and ninth graders and cooperates with parent-teacher associations in giving mass polio immunizations for very small fees. The society has provided advisers to each of the voluntary health agencies in the county and has further cooperated with voluntary agencies in giving their approval to each of their health service projects. The society has provided speakers for weekly half-hour radio programs on medical subjects through a local radio station for the past 22 years. |