MAJORITY REPORT.
179
“Sener
however, strong objections to the establishment of a special
State Society for those insured persons who do not
choose to join one of the existing Approved Societies.
Such a Society would be in competition with Approved Societies
and would offer benefits which, even if restricted, would almost
inevitably have to be guaranteed by the Government. It would
be a departure on a large scale from the principle of self-governing
Societies self-contained financially, which is the essence of the
National Health Insurance Scheme.
GENERAT, CONSIDERATIONS.
408. The fact that the present scheme is working smoothly
and meeting the real problem of insured persons on their way
to Approved Societies or of those who only expect to be in
Insurance for a short time, goes far, in our view, to dispose
of the criticisms directed against its retention. This is specially
80 since the additional benefit schemes of Approved Societies
have come into operation, for they have offered a marked and in-
Cregsed inducement to transfer from the Fund to Societies. So
far, indeed, as the types of person referred to in (1), (2), (3)
and (4) of paragraph 399 above are concerned, we see no reason
Whatever to alter the system. Insured persons of these types
Will always be with us. The Deposit Contributors Fund provides
for them as convenient an arrangement as can be made. They
can have no grievance against the system since it is open to
them at any time to apply for admission to one or other of the
bumerous Approved Societies of all types. The persons in
class (4) might, indeed, have difficulty in getting into a Society,
but their number is so small and their position is so much due
to their own default that we do not think they merit any special
consideration.
. 409. When, however, we come to class (5)—those persons
ill health who are unable to obtain admission to a Society—-
We feel that something more than the meagre cash benefits of the
Deposit Contributors Fund should be provided. We feel that
Mn a scheme of National Health Insurance under which com-
Pulsory contributions are exacted, the continued existence of
this class, under its present conditions, invites serious criticism.
We direct attention to the evidence submitted by Sir Walter
Kinnear on behalf of the Ministry of Health in Q. 23,616-23,646 ;
and also to the suggestions, already referred to, made by the
National Federation of Rural Approved Societies in paragraph 16
of Appendix XXIX. The recommendations which we make are
generally on the same lines as are suggested in the evidence in
Question.
PROPOSED INSURANCE SECTION.
4 410. We propose that two sections of the Deposit Contributors
Fond shomtd be formed-—ar *° Todividunl Aseaunt Seetion ™ on
