| Show I 1 Truman Study Unveils Unveils' HU U. U S. S Medical Aid Plan WASHINGTON Sept 2 R The Truman administration Thursday Thursday Thursday Thurs Thurs- day unveiled new recommendations for for a 8 multibillion dollar federal 1 health insurance and medical aid aidI I program Federal Security Administrator l Oscar R. R Ewing sketched its details details details de de- tails in a page page report made public by the White House President Truman directed such sucha a study last January after congress congress con con- 1 gress had shouldered cold-shouldered a similar similar simi simi- t lar Jar proposal x i 1 Medical organizations haver have r I tabbed the administrations administration's compulsory com corn t puls ry health Insurance plans so socialized socialized so- so medicine Some Republicans 1 cans ha haVe hase e challen challenged ed the DemoI Democrats Democrats Demo Demo- to make a campaign issue I lof of it The Ewing report provides i ammunition for such a debate Calling present medical facilities totally inadequate quate In many re respects re- re s to meet the nee needs s of people the document contends contends contends con con- tends 1 More than Americans die each year who could be saved if present day medical knowledge ledge and skills were fully available to them 2 A scant fifth of ot the population population population tion can afford all the medical care it needs 3 Privately operated health insurance in insurance insurance in- in plans never will be within reach of or more than half the population population population lation because of the cost Ewing said the proposed govern govern- run ment-run program might start those workers now covered by social security It would b be financed at the outset outset outset out out- set by a levy of from one-half one to 1 of the first earned Later the tax might range up to 4 as the UlC services were expanded Employer and each would pay half The They now contribute 1 each on the first to defray social security costs Ewing titled his report The Na Na- Nations Nation's Nations Nation's Nations Nation's tion's tio tion's Health Health Health-A A Ten Year Pro Pro- gram Double Facilities In it he said there are only half enough hospital beds to care adequately adequately adequately ade ade- for the population Hence he proposed doubling these facilities facilities facilities ties by 1960 at a cost of To overcome what he called a critical shortage of doctors Ewing recommended federal aid to help medical colleges train physicians physicians physicians phy phy- by 1960 That is about 40 more than would be turned out if facilities are not expanded Ewing said adding the cost to the would be about a year at the outset with increasing amounts later The security administration also proposed 1 Increasing the thc number of dentists from now to by 1960 about 1960 about more than will be trained at the present rate 2 Spending up to a year by 1960 in federal money for medical and related research by civilians 3 Increasing facilities for the care of children the handicapped the aged and the mentally sick 4 Ending the system of medical medical medical medi medi- cal care under which N Negro gro physicians physicians physicians and Negro patients are arc discriminated discriminated discriminated dis dis- dis- dis criminated against Teed Need Most Help People in the low income groups below a year year are are those in greatest need of help he said but they are arc the ones who cant can't afford the voluntary plans These plans cannot do the job that hasto has hasto to be bc done Ewing insisted the plan he outlined outlined outlined out out- lined would not be socialized medicine medicine medicine medi medi- cine because the patient would be befree befree befree free to choose his doctor and the doctor not on the government pay roll would roll would have the right to reject any patient Actual administration of the plan would rest with states and the government would handle only the finances Ewing said |
