MAJORITY REPORT
Ft
hy 4
a
NS
boo
oe
0
cr
;
Li
>d person’s title to benefit by reference to his financial
retrospectively, and it hardly requires to be pointed out
5 adoption of such a solution might have the
md indeed would not infrequently have the effect,
ng an insured person medical benefit while his
were high, and withdrawing it in the subsequent
vhen his earnings might be reduced. This result
ariously defeat the whole purpose of the suggestion.
om such administrative difficulties we feel, moreover,
ould be a retrograde step te exclude from the Insurance
or even from the title to medical benefit under the Act,
on of the community which has hitherto been included
th has generally, so far as we have been able to gather,
10t merely accustomed to insurance but appreciative of
its which it provides.
1 the case of non-manual workers, the limit for
by was raised in 1919 from £160 to £250 a year owing
{ange in economic conditions. We are informed that
tion of the limit offers no more administrative difficultly
to be expected (Kinnear (0. 36; Leishman Q. 1551).
ition has been called to the fact that the income limit
manual workers has recently been increased in the
1's Compensation Act to £350, and a few witnesses
gested that the income limit for non-manual workers
b similarly raised for National Insurance (Loyal Order
nt Shepherds, App. XLIV, 16; Q. 14,076-14,085;
Association of Trade Union Approved Societies, App.
59; .Q. 21,855.91 956). But in regard to this point
always (except for a short period pending the amend-
the Workmen’s Compensation Act) been a difference
the two systems, the original limits having been
ly £160 and £250. We doubt whether such an
would be welcomed by those primarily affected, and in
we are of the opinion that any proposal to bring
Health Insurance into line in this respect with Work-
mpensation would meet with strong opposition both
ployers and from the Medical Profession. In the
inces, the position should, we think, remain unaltered.
was suggested to us by the British Medical Association
ons such as bank clerks, insurance officials, and others
dally pass beyond the income limit of insurability at a
ively early age, should be excepted altogether from
asurance (App. XLVII, 15; Q. 14,877-14,890; 14,914-
‘No claim was, however, made to us by, or in the name
particular classes of insured persons for their exception
Scheme. On the contrary, we had some evidence that
“tion provided by the Health Insurance system is be-
creasingly valued by persons of this class, and in par-
at they desire to participate in the valuable additional]