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 XIII. Miscellaneous questions

Collection:: Economics Books

299 MAJORITY REPORT. to Questions 23,648-23,650 and 23,666-23,681, from which we quote the following :— ““ Although exempt persons are a small class and require special administrative arrangements, I think the abolition of the class would hardly be justifiable. Exemption is useful for many persons who, although employed within the meaning of the Act, are not regularly employed, or are already provided for in case of sickness, and it thus provides a certain elasticity in a compulsory scheme. The obligation of employers to contribute for such persons should also be maintained. Although in practice there might not be much risk of discrimination in favour of employing exempt persons if no contributions were payable, there might be a tendency in some cases in this direction, and it is a sound principle that the employer should have to pay his quota to the funds according to the labour which he employs, without regard to the individual circumstances of the employees. . . . I am inclined to think that as these persons have been entitled to medical benefit for some years, and the statistics go to show that the great majority of them do take advantage of the medical benefit which is provided for them, to deprive these persons of the benefit which they have enjoyed for so many years would be rather a retrogade step, and, on the whole, I think employers would agree that, as they are required to pay contributions, it is only right that those contributions should be applied in the interests of the health of their employees. o 531. The Federation Committee of the English, Scottish and Welsh Associations of Insurance Committees (App. XXXVI, 170-173) and the British Medical Association (App. XIL/VIIL, 15 (b); Q. 14,891-14,893 and 14,923) think that the right to medical benefit should be withdrawn ; while the Scottish Association of Insurance Committees (App. XXXVII, 76 and 93) suggest that the contributions paid in respect of exempt persons should be paid to the General Purposes Funds of Insurance Committees. The Standing Committee of Scottish Insured Women urge the abolition of the class, and suggest that if it is retained the title to medical benefit should be withdrawn and the contributions paid into the Central Fund for the benefit of the members of all Societies (App. XLVI, 12; Q. 14.,530-14,531). 539. After full consideration of the subject we are of opinion that the class should be retained with the present arrangements. Tt provides in many cases a useful niche for that class of persons who will probably be subject to compulsory insurance only for a short period and who do not in that period desire to become members of Approved Societies. These persons are not in need of the cash benefits; but the medical benefit gives them some- thing which is valuable and which they appear to appreciate.

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