Report of the Royal Commission on National Health Insurance

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Monograph

Identifikator:: 1740277147

URN:: urn:nbn:de:zbw-retromon-132094

Document type:: Monograph

Title:: Report of the Royal Commission on National Health Insurance

Place of publication:: London

Publisher:: Stationery Office

Year of publication:: 1926

Scope:: XII, 394 S.

Digitisation:: 2020

Collection:: Economics Books

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Document type:: Monograph

Structure type:: Chapter

Title:: Chapter VIII. The approved society system

Collection:: Economics Books

MAJORITY REPORT. 107 benefits than his next-door neighbour who pays the same con- tribution but is unfortunate enough to be a member of Society B, which gives little or no additional benefits. Grave and increas- ing discontent will be caused if this distinction is continued or intensified ’ (App. XIII, 24). EVIDENCE oF EFFICIENCY. 219. As against these criticisms we have, however, received a large body of evidence in support of the advantages claimed to be inherent in the present system and in favour of its retention. It was represented to us. that the Societies are carrying out their work with a very fair standard of efficiency, that the contribu- tions are being collected and the benefits administered in a satisfactory manner, and that there is no evidence of any con- siderable volume of opinion antagonistic to the system as such on the part of insured persons (Kinnear, Q. 23,543-23,546 ; Leish- man, Q. 24,346). It was also urged that the present arrangement, under which every Society stands to gain or lose as the result of its own experience and standard of administration, conduces to careful supervision of claims and tends to economy and avoid- ance cf over-expenditure on benefits (Ancient Order of Foresters, App. Vv, 24; National Conference of Industrial Assurance Approved Societies, App. VI, 25). Further, it was stated with much truth that the variety of types of Societies and the freedom of the insured person to choose among them are particularly well suited to the administration of a Scheme affecting many millions of the community of all types and classes and supported by a flat rate of contribution. CONTINUATION OF THE SYSTEM RECOMMENDED. 220. We come, therefore, to the question whether the Ap- proved Society system should be continued. This question must be examined from two points of view. The first is that of the maintenance of a system under which the Scheme is administered by self-governing organisations responsible for their own finance, and all that this implies in regard to additional benefits; or its supersession by a centralised system with a common fund, the benefits being administered, possibly, by local agencies but subject to close control and direction from the central governing body. The second point of view is that of the criticisms which have been directed against the methods and procedure of the Approved Societies as such, and the possibility that if these criticisms are so weighty as to indicate the desirability of abolishing the Societies, some other form of organisation, short of complete centralisation, can be found to take their place. 221. To the first of these problems we have given careful thought. We feel that if a centralised system were adopted it would compel the dissolution of the Approved Societies, since the reduction of the Societies to mere paying agencies would

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