1%6 
~~ 
MAJORITY REPORT, 
265. In illustration of the way in which the small contributions 
of the people—insured and non-insured alike—are applied towards 
securing hospital treatment, we may refer to the statement 
submitted by the Hospital Saving Association (App. CXXX). 
It is there explained that for a contribution of threepence a week 
a large number of hospitals have agreed to relieve from any 
enquiry as to means, the contributor or his dependants when 
admitted to the hospital ; and this arrangement applies equally 
to in- and out-patients. If the patient is treated at a hospital not 
on the list of the Association the contributor is reimbursed, by 
the Association, any normal payments which he has been called 
upon to make towards his maintenance for a period not exceeding 
ten weeks. These arrangements, which we think are in them- 
selves wholly commendable, make apparently no distinction 
between the insured and the uninsured, and accordingly we are 
reinforced in our view that the claim of the hospitals to assistance 
from Health Insurance funds is not valid under present con- 
ditions and can never be so until an appropriate preference is 
given to insured persons either financially or by way of priority 
in treatment or in some other manner that definitely recognises 
the dual position which in such matters they clearly occupy. 
266. In this connexion one further point should be noted. We 
have referred in Chapter V to the difficult position that would 
arise if, for example, hospital in-patient treatment were provided 
for the insured while the classes of persons just above the 
insurable level, to whom the cost of a major operation is a severe 
and often crippling burden, were given no assistance from public 
funds. If we were recommending as part of the extended 
medical benefit, the inclusion of such services either in the home 
or in the hospital, we should feel seriously concerned about the 
position of non-insured persons of moderate means. Under these 
circumstances, indeed, we are sure that an attempt would have 
to be made to find some way of making a similar benefit available 
to this class. We are convinced that this problem must ultimately 
be faced and that no large and unified scheme of health services 
will be entirely satisfactory unless it provides a solution. Within 
the limits of our present proposal, however, the difficulty does 
not assume the grave form which it would indubitably present if 
it were suggested that hospital treatment and major operations 
should be included within the scope of medical benefit. 
MATERNITY AND DENTAL SERVICES. 
267. Nor have we included maternity services and dental treat- 
ment, though these also, we hope, would find their place in any 
full Public Health Service of the future. In Chapter XII we 
deal at some length with these problems in their immediate 
aspects, and in particular make an important recommendation 
for improving the dental service given under the additional benefit