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 XI. Proposal for dependants' allowances

Collection:: Economics Books

1. “2Q MAJORITY REPORT. CHAPTER XI. PROPOSAL: FOR DEPENDANTS’ ALLOWANCES. 300. We now have to consider certain other proposals of a major nature which have been placed before us. We find two which in our opinion are close rivals for the second place in the order of priority in which such funds as may be available should be applied. These are an increase in the scales of sickness and disablement benefits, and a maternity benefit enlarged to include all necessary medical services. We have examined closely the evidence relating to these questions and have received esti- mates of cost from the Ministry of Health and the Actuarial Committee. The maternity question is dealt with in the next chapter. For reasons which will appear later we have decided to give priority in our recommendations to an extension of the cash benefits available in sickness and disablement. It is appropriate to remark here that the estimated cost of the pro- posal we make in this regard is practically the total sum which the margin in the present contribution makes available. Thus, if this proposal is adopted and the cost of extended medical benefit is met by the scheme of pooling of surpluses described in Chapter TX, no further extensions or modifications involving substantial expenditure can be proposed as immediately practicable within the financial limits we have set. FVIDENCE AS TO THE RATES OF CASH BENEFIT 301. The evidence as to the sufficiency of the rates of sickness and disablement benefits has been of a varied character. This was almost inevitable in a system where sickness benefit means 15s. in some Societies, 20s. in others, and various intermediate figures elsewhere; where, too, some Approved Societies provide substantial benefits on the basis of voluntary insurance and lay great stress on the maintenance of this side of their work, while others confine themselves to the State scheme and look to its ex- pansion for greater support of their members in time of sickness. Thus, on the one hand, the Manchester Unity of Oddfellows, though they do not suggest that the existing rates of benefit are adequate for the maintenance of a married man and his family, contend (App. VII, 67) that * the statutory rates of sick- ness and disablement benefit laid down in the Act should not be increased,” and in reply to questions which we put to them admitted quite frankly that their recommendation was based on the apprehension that any increase in the normal rates of benefit under the Act would be likely *“ to have a very detrimental effect upon the voluntary thrift movement. ” (Q. 5921-5938). Similarly, the Independent Order of Rechabites state that they ‘‘ are not

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