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

MAJORITY REPORT. ei am Insurance. We examined Sir Walter Kinnear on this proposal, and we give the following extract from his reply : — . +. . The Department considers that it would not be practicable or desirable to merge the Workmen’s Com- pensation Scheme in the Health Insurance Scheme. . . . The risks covered by the Workmen's Compensation Act vary very greatly in various trades. These risks entail consider- able variation in the rates of premium as between different occupations and a frequent revision of rates according to claim experience. I suggest that such a system could not be worked in conjunction with a general scheme of insurance based on flat contributions. If a flat rate of contribution were charged, it is suggested that such a system would be inequitable to the trades carrying the lighter risks, and would in any case remove from employers the incentive which at present exists to reduce the risk of accidents and thus secure a reduction in their premiums. In any case, the Depart- ment considers that it would not be practicable for Approved Societies organised on their present lines to administer workmen's compensation insurance. The workers con- tribute a substantial proportion of the contributions to the funds of the Approved Societies, and the Act provides for those Societies being under the absolute control of their members. If on the valuation of a Society’s funds a defi- ciency is found, the members may be rendered liable to an increase in their contributions or a reduction in their benefits. In workmen’s compensation insurance the whole of the premiums are contributed by the employers, who alone would be affected by any excess of claims and expenses over income. The working of such a scheme could not be entrusted to Societies controlled solely by the workers. Moreover, the financial liabilities of workmen’s compensa- tion insurance are more onerous than could with prudence be undertaken by many of the 9,000 Approved Societies and Branches throughout the country, and if these liabilities were pooled in a central fund, I submit to the Commission that the Societies could not retain that independence in government and administration which characterises their operations at the present time.” (Q. 23,461.) 627. We consider that the arguments advanced by Sir Walter Kinnear are conclusive on this subject, and we cannot recom- mend that the Health Insurance Scheme should be widened to cover the liability now provided under the Workmen’s Compen- sation Acts. 628. The National Association of Trade Union Approved Societies (App. XCII, 117-120) called our attention to cases in which insured persons who are incapacitated by accident

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