A BILL TO AMEND THE PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE ACT TO APRIL 28, 29, 30, AND MAY 7, 1954 10. Congress. So, Printed for the use of the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce 47892 4 JUN 21 UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE WASHINGTON: 1954 Baehr, Dr. George, president and medical director, Health Insurance Bailey, Dr. Joseph A., Washington Clinic, Washington, D. C.. Biemiller, Andrew J., member of the national legislative committee, American Federation of Labor.. Carey, Dr. Richard M., medical director, Upper Manhattan Medical Group, Health Insurance Plan of Greater New York...-- Case, Melvin A., first vice president, National Association of Yater, Dr. Wallace M., Yater Clinic, Washington, D. C............. 440 American Life Convention, letter from Claris Adams, executive vice 146 American Medical Association, letter from Dr. George F. Lull, secre- 149 American Osteopathic Association, letter from Dr C. D. Swope, chair- Bowery Savings Bank, letter from Harry Held, vice president_ Farm Bureau Insurance Co., letter from Murray D. Lincoln, president_ 82 Phoenix Mutual Life Insurance Co., letter from Lyndes B. Stone, 144 Pickard, Dr. Karl: Utilization data, Central Medical Group of Brooklyn, 82 143 PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE ACT WEDNESDAY, APRIL 28, 1954 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, COMMITTEE ON INTERSTATE AND FOREIGN COMMERCE, Washington, D. C. The committee met at 10 a. m., pursuant to call, in room 1334, New House Office Building, Hon. Charles A. Wolverton (chairman) presiding. The CHAIRMAN. The committee will please be in order. Today, we open our hearings on H. R. 7700, a new legislative proposal which emerged from the extensive hearings conducted by this committee on ways to afford protection for greater and greater numbers of our people against the appalling ravages and the staggering costs of catastrophic illness. Confronted with the array of pressing medical-care problems facing our people today, this committee has been particularly impressed with the great need for extending to millions upon millions of our people the opportunity of obtaining comprehensive medical care of high quality at reasonable costs. This is the primary objective of H. R. 7700, the bill now under consideration. Extensive testimony has been presented to our committee during the past several months regarding the high cost of medical care, the tragic financial burdens of illness and the need for high quality medical care for all our people. This has been the evidence presented to us by the overwhelming majority of witnesses who have appeared before us-spokesmen for many millions of American workers and their families, leaders of major industries, Secretary Hobby and her staff of the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, physicians of unimpeachable authority and of eminent regard, both within and outside their profession. Keenly aware of these problems, President Eisenhower in his January 18 health message, stated that: No nation and no administration can ever afford to be complacent about the health of its citizens. While continuing to reject Government regimentation, we shall with vigor and imagination, continuously search out by appropriate means, recommend, and put into effect new methods of achieving better health for all our people. New methods of achieving better health for our people have been described in considerable detail to our committee. These methods demonstrate the effectiveness of applying sound principles, American initiative, private enterprise, and imagination to the problems of medical care, distribution, and costs. These methods drive home the message that medical economics must keep pace with medical science. 1 |