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Show Kerr-Mills Bill Battlefield Of Senator, Medic By DAVID BRISCOE Chronicle Political Editor The Kerr-Mills Bill is good, but not good enough. SO AGREED both Oregon Senator Maurine Neuberger and Ernest L. Wilkinson, Jr., local medical doctor, yesterday in the Union Ballroom. But that was where agreement stopped. Wilkinson looked to amendment of Kerr-Mills to solve national health care problems. rs. Neuberger looked to Medicare. MRS. NEUBERGER said the United States "does not enjoy to greatest health in the world." She pointed to high infant mortality and lower longevity in the U.S., as compared to counts coun-ts with Medicare. She said she would see her government, which is "wealthy, selves' thy'" help those PePle wno cannot provide for them-"THE them-"THE PROPOSED health care would be a boon to us all." Wilkinson said Medicare, if passed, would eventually expand, encouraging "mediocracy" in the medical profession, unhappy patient-doctor relations and inferior in-ferior medical care. "IT IS A framework of what is later to come," he accused. He called it "economic injustice, on the pretext of helping older people." "Whatever government subsidizes, subsi-dizes, it will ultimately control,' (Continued on page 4) Medicare . . , (Continued from page l) the doctor charged. He said Medicare Med-icare is socialism and represents social thinking. MRS. NEUBERGER said she was unimpressed with his V cialism" argument, since Kerr-Mills, Kerr-Mills, which the doctor supports, is in fact socialism. WILKINSON criticised the proposed Medicare legislation because it taxes everyone the same, "without regard for wealth, need or desire." He said it would provide only limited hospital -and nursirig home care and not really complete medical care. MRS. NEUBERGER asked the doctor if he would support the bill if it covered all health care, When he answered, "Of course not!" she asked him not to use the fact that the bill wouldn't as an argument against Mrs. Neuberger said the only people medicare would not cover are doctors, who are not under Social Security. Wilkinson countered that millions would be "left out in the cold." THE SENATOR shook bet head (back and forth.) |