Show medical committee holds important meeting the county medical committee met with drs I 1 W allen alien and wesly wely wesl y L baals bay in the county courthouse on thursday even evening ingo march 13 12 to consider important matters facing the medical program including the immediate readjustment of its operation resulting from the resignation of dr frank E roark and to consider plans for the future operation and maintenance of this important and vital medical service two important changes in the present policies grew out of the discussions and the plans considered at this meeting one was the adoption sd option of a membership fee of 2500 to be applied to all new members after july 1 1941 and to those who have allowed previous ti contracts to lapse unless they have a contract for the current year the other was the decision growing out of a report from the grand county hospital board that chat they expect i a change and an imp improvement ro in our hospital contract for another year to include hospital service on all contracts i they point out that we have purchased far less contracts this year than ever before and that a much higher percentage of the ones who have contracts have required aired hospitalization making it impossible under such conditions to continue hospital service at the present rates where it is necessary to hospitalize a majority ot of contracts to remedy this condition and more nearly meet the request and expectations of the grand county hospital board it was decided to eliminate the sale of contracts for doctors doctor ts services only hereafter and beginning july 1 1941 only one type and one price contract including both doctor and hospital services will be available the price will be ba 40 for this complete service and protection in making these changes which were considered necessary by the committee we wish to point out that such action was taken in an effort to stabilize and insure the S continuation of our program on a sund s und basis also to offset off set the criticisms and objections levelled bevelled level led at our program by the state medical association and the profession and to employ the conviction that such steps are in the right direction as a result of the past three years of experience and experimentation peri while some on first thought may not agree with the necessity of combining the doctor and hospital 1 contracts yet we also wish to point out that the fundamental principle underlying our entire program is that of operation cooperation co to the end that all may be protected and benefited as a result of your membership and loyalty rather than the thought of the continued on page 4 MEDICAL COMMITTEE I 1 I 1 HOLDS MEETING 0 continued from page one I 1 i service and the gains we can individually sq squeeze beeze out of the program such uch a program offers the I 1 fine finet finest z t health inaura insurance nce and protection I 1 available not only to one I 1 individual but to an entire family for a much lawer cost pr p r family than any acceptable health and accident insurance policy for a single individual can be purchased any where in the nation furthermore your medical contract cannot be cancelled simply bc bluee cause you have becola ill or have had an operation whereas health and accident policies can be and frequently are cancelled for such causes just when they are needed most also it is reasonably safe to say that many people very much in need of hospital care are denying themselves this service in jeopardy to their health for the trifling cost of 10 per year per family it is hoped therefore that this new change requiring the purchase of hospital benefits with every contract will prove by and large to be a boon and a blessing rather than a burden to everyone the committee also wishes to emphasize the provision that the membership fee takes effect july 1 1941 for new members or those who do not have contracts this year but anyone who desires to join the association now or for next year may do so without a membership fee if they apply and pay for a contract by or before july L 1 1941 also that present contract holders may renew their contract for next year and each year without membership fee by doing so before Ni november vember therefore anyone can avoid the payment baym ent of the 2500 membership fee simply by getting a contract in time at this point may we emphasize the wisdom of pur chasing a contract Conr act at the beg nning lining of the fiscal year and thus make available aval ablo to families the serviced service ani and pi election for the full period 0 without losing the fi st gt th ce or fair months be beven though gh it is provided ahat pro ent contract holders may renew th their ir contracts without niem membership bersha fee up to november h yet it is also well to remember that your present contract expires june 30 1941 and you vill not be entitled 0 any service next year until your contract is paid for and placed in effect we also wish to remind those who may need help to buy contracts that the farm S curl alty mini straton office in the caly house at monticello will male make loans for the purchase of M medical e dic a 1 contracts contract and mst people i in n this h is bounty are eligible for such loans you can borrow money now for your next years contract and if you expect to borrow at all the supervisor suggests that applications be made early and thus avoid delay r loss of service during the time it takes to get a loan tl through rough usually about a month As a final word we wish to say lincoln LIS as lincoln sai this is a program I 1 of the people by the people and for the people it is not a program of or for the medical com cam 1 cittee who give freely and with I 1 1 out pay long hours of service planning and supervision af av mediating agency simply to I 1 mote such a program in the in teresta of the entire community I 1 nor is it a program of or for the doctors who are not well or even 1 adequately paid for the splendid service they are giving us therefore let us appreciate more fully what we have in this splendid program which is operating for the betterment and the protection of our health let us ponder for a moment the deplorable and costly conditions that existed before we had such a program then certainly we should all be glad to do our bit to make it live and grow |