Report of the Royal Commission on National Health Insurance

Bibliographic data

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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Chapter

Document type:: Monograph

Structure type:: Chapter

Title:: Chapter IX. Inequalities of benefit in different approved societies

Collection:: Economics Books

bem, ular sent hich y be vide sible Iz, very iety less nore can the for sub- and ould 3 on of first ary ped arge arly per righ and that ATT - 1ave rom pro- the ties For the sur- are ther or a the ibu- Was MAJORITY REPGRT. 119 pointed out that by grouping themselves in special Societies agricultural workers would be able substantially to attain the same ends, as they would thereby reap the advantages of their light sickness experience in additional benefits which might take the form of return of contributions. It is perhaps worthy of notice that the claims of the agricultural population to be conceded a reduced rate of contribution have again been put forward. Thus, the National Farmers’ Union of Scotland con- tend (App. LXXI; Q. 19,172-19,399) that the rate of con- tribution is, in the case of agricultural workers, more than sufficient to meet the cost of the benefits of that class, and that a variable rate of contribution based on sickness risks should be instituted. They point out that in the case of Societies consisting preponderantly of members residing in urban districts the contribution is only sufficient to support the normal benefits, whereas purely agricultural Societies show large surpluses. They state that ‘‘ Agriculture is a healthy industry and stands apart from all other industries in this country. In all other respects it is treated separately. For instance, it is not included under the Unemployment Insurance Scheme, nor is it included in any pro- jected legislation in regard to limitation of working hours. If makes a distinet claim for separate treatment in this connexion ’. They go on to urge that *“ in regard to agricultural workers there should be a reduction all round in the contributions payable.”’ The National Council of Agriculture for England state (App. LXXXV, 5; Q. 21196-21217) that the agricultural worker on the average receives a low rate of wages, and is probably content to receive a low wage partly because his occupation is a healthy one. They contend that persons in more arduous and more hazardous Occupations receive higher rates of wages and should ““ with that high wage pay more for their Health Insurance than the agri- cultural worker.’ 254. Another justification for differentiation in benefits lies in the incentive which is thereby offered to good and careful adminis- tration. We think that it would be fatal both administratively and financially if the persons charged with the responsibility for considering claims for benefit felt that there was nothing to be gained by doing their work well and thoroughly. SOHBME TO MITIGATE INEQUALITIES OF BENEFIT. 255. While we cannot support the proposal for differential contributions, we have come to the conclusion that the possi- bility of the existence of differences in the rate of benefits provided by different Societies should continue to be a feature of the scheme of National Health Insurance. We believe, moreover, that the inequalities which have in fact been disclosed are only such as could have been and were foreseen in 1911 by those whose technical knowledge and experience enabled them to gauge the probabilities. It is true that as a result of the War the actual 34.709 lo» =n

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