If doctors can refuse to take patients, it is conceivable that in certain communities these patients will not be able to get medical care without digging up a bonus or a gift. My experience in national housing at present makes this a real threat to adequate care of patients. 15. Will specialists be able to charge more for a procedure done extra well compared to a general practitioner who does the same type of work satisfactorily but not with the perfection of a specialist? A good example is tonsil operations which are done by many physicians. Some are done superbly well, others satisfactorily, others passably, others poorly, and other disgracefully. 16. Will there be any provisions to prevent fee-splitting among doctors? 17. Will there be any attempt to control "cuts," "bonuses" or "percentage returns" of certain laboratories to doctors referring work to those laboratories? 18. What will happen to the American Red Cross under the proposed legislation? 19. Will the burden on doctors of getting a new State license, paying big reciprocity fees, and wasting months of time whenever necessity requires them to move from one State to another State be eliminated by having a national medical examination and licensing board acceptable to every State? To avoid overloading some States with doctors States could limit a quota of doctors based on numbers of doctors per 1,000 population. 20. Will standards of medicine in all States be raised by developing national basic science laws? 21. Will standards of medicine be raised by requiring periodic (5-year) examinations of all doctors on current developments in medicine and surgery for renewal of licenses? 22. Will the proposed legislation define the qualifications and limitations of osteopaths, chiropractors, physio-therapists, optometrists, opticians, oculists, colonic irrigationists, Chinese herb doctors, etc.? It is well to remember that the Medical Corps of the armed forces permitted only qualified physicians and surgeons to accept commissions and treat our soldiers. Yet in many Western States, curtain categories of "doctors" are permitted to do surgery, obstetrics, general medicine and other specialties without adequate training and qualifications. These and many other questions should be thoroughly considered before any comprehensive plan of national health insurance is finally enacted into law. They are the loop-holes which if not properly provided for in advance will result in a break-down of what may be a great benefit to the American people and the American medical profession. They are meant to be helpful and not critical. Again I wish to request a copy of the proposed Murray-Wagner-Dingell bill. Also I again request that my name be withheld in case you desire to use any of this letter in your work. Sincerely and respectfully yours, [Name withheld on request.] EDUCATION AND LABOR COMMITTEE JAMES E. MURRAY, Montana, Chairman DAVID I. WALSH, Massachusetts ALLEN J. ELLENDER, Louisiana DENNIS CHAVEZ, New Mexico. ROBERT M. LA FOLLETTE, JR., Wisconsin GEORGE D. AIKEN, Vermont H. ALEXANDER SMITH, New Jersey FORREST C.-DONNELL, Missouri CHARLES A. MURRAY, Clerk Health insurance a revolutionary concept.- Medical care would deteriorate under S. 1606- Support of the committee by drug manufacturers. Origin of the National Physicians' Committee... Exemption of contributions from income tax. Council on Medical Services and Public Relations of the American Medical Grants-in-aid preferable to compulsory insurance- Getting, Vlado A., M. D., secretary, the Association of State and Territorial Health Officers, and Commissioner of Public Health, Boston, Mass.: |