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 III. The general attitude to the health insurance scheme

Collection:: Economics Books

MAJORITY REPORT. 1 x of the evidence submitted to us was, on the one hand, concerned with the conditions under which the existing medical benefit could be extended or supplemented by other benefits of a medical nature and, on the other hand, with the possibility of over- coming the lack of co-ordination with which at present the medical services of the country are frequently reproached. The development of maternity benefit from a mere cash palyment into an adequate provision of skilled supervision and treatment of mother and child during the period centred on the confine- ment was urged by numerous witnesses, including several representative bodies devoted specially to the interests of working women. Much emphasis was also laid on the desirability of developing, as far as practicable, the possibilities which the scheme offers for the prevention of illness and the improvement of the general standard of health. THE INEQUALITIES OF BENEFIT. 96. We also received much evidence in criticism of the in- equalities of benefit which result from the variations between the valuation surpluses of Approved Yocieties and of the con- fusion alleged to be consequent on the comparative freedom which Societies enjoy in selecting and, indeed, in defining the content of additional benefits other than an increase in the rates of the cash benefits. The opinion was freely expressed by certain witnesses that the present arrangements did not result in the fullest advantages being secured to the general body of insured workers in return for the expenditure incurred, and that in a National Scheme supported by uniform contributions compul- sorily levied, these wide inequalities of benefit were a serious blemish. Other witnesses, on the other hand, contended vigorously for the maintenance of the present system. In the view of these witnesses the enforcement of a uniform rate of contribution in the case of all insured persons, whatever the differences in their economic conditions or the variations in the risks to which they are subject, occupationally or for other reasons, cannot otherwise be justified. Some of those who advanced this claim relied on pledges given when the Bill of 1911 was before Parliament, to the effect that, to meet this difficulty, insured persons should be free to choose their own Societies and the Societies should have full control of their own surpluses. In this particular sphere, indeed, it became evident that we had to recognise the existence of opposed and apparently irreconcilable opinions held in each case by schools of thought whose views were entitled to respect and consideration. Tar ADMINISTRATIVE AGENCIES. 97. Another matter to which much of the evidence was directed was that of the suitability of the Insurance Committees

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