Show I Americans Reportedly Receive R Free U. U S. S Medical Service Most Americans we wo suspect were astonished to learn from a report on federal federal federal fed fed- eral medical services that approximately sixth one-sixth of the nations nation's population today are receiving free health and medical service from the government While we have been arguing over the question of socialized medicine the government government government gov gov- has been quietly easing its way into the field of free health service to the point where today todar Americans Americans Americans Ameri Ameri- cans are being given such service in varying varying vary vary- ing degree This information was revealed by a special task force committee set up by bythe bythe bythe the Hoover commission to study the organization organization organization or or- of the executive branch of the government The committee in its report was sharply critical of the duplication duplication duplication cation of service the w Waste yaste ste and the unusually unusually unusually un un- un- un usually generous free medical service given by different departments and agencies agencies agencies agen agen- cies of government For instance the committee said about army and air force dependents dependents dependents de de- de- de receive complete government medical care on no basis other than an appropriation act passed more than 60 ye years rs ago authorizing medical officers to care for dependents whenever It pointed to the fact huge lingo new government government government gov gov- hospitals are being built by one agency although there are other government government government govern govern- ment hospitals nearby which have plenty of empty space It contended that literally literally literally liter liter- ally dozens of costly government hos hos- could be shut down with patients shifted to other government hospitals After reading that report it is easy to see why federal government is such an expensive business With 4 1 different federal agencies carrying on some kind of medical programs there is certain to tobe tobe tobe be much duplication of services and ties There also is the likelihood of encouraging a spirit of rivalry and competition competition competition com com- petition among these different governmental governmental govern govern- governmental mental medical services Each wishes to outdo the other other other-in in building bigger and more elaborate hospitals in getting getling more and finer and newer equipment in giving more and more free health and medical service regardless of the justification in receiving bigger and bigger It seems obvious that many millions of dollars could be saved merely from the coordination of the present 44 14 separate separate separate sep sep- arate government medical programs Many any millions more could be saved if the government would stop giving free medical and health service to millions of Americans who are in no way entitled to such service If were we're going to have socialized medicine medicine medicine medi medi- cine in America let us have it openly and honestly honestly for for all Americans Let us not have government medical service sneak up on us by br a process of gradual encroachment until we wake up some someday someday someday day to find the government camel is in full possession of the medical service ten tent t. t |