The Sick

1
The Sick

• The aged we have dealt withwe are still
  confronted with the more gigantic task of dealing
  with the rest- the sick, the infirm, the
  unemployed, the widows and orphans
• Lloyd George
• TB was claiming 75,000 lives a year

2
What was the insurance scheme?

• Planned to allow employer,employee and state to
  contribute to a fund
• To be used when worker was ill/unemployed
• Therefore the system would mean that you did not
  receive something for nothing

3
The Sick

• Liberals determined to construct their own policy
  on sickness and invalidity
• Looked at German model again
• Problems friendly societies, doctors and cost
  implications
• Cost Peoples budget

4
Friendly societies and Industrial Insurance
company

• Viewed as encroaching on their business as a
  result, gov. decided to administer the system
  through societies
• Industrial insurance companies on the other hand
  were in business for profit

5
Friendly societies and Industrial Insurance
company

• Government forced to back down and exclude the
  two funeral benefits
• Designated approved societies by National
  Insurance Act
• Enhanced their status with the public

6
Doctors

• Felt that they were being paid a pittance for
  treating the societies working class clients
• Wanted medical side of insurance scheme to be run
  by the profession free from friendly society
  domination

7
Doctors

• Government had to offer doctors a higher contract
  fee of 4 shillings per patient and 2 shillings to
  cover drug costs
• Led to rush by poorer doctors to join the new
  panel system as it doubled income
• 1911 Act favourable to doctors, The General
  Practioners Act

8
1911 Insurance provisions

• Final Act entitled insured workers to 10s, a week
  for a period off work for health reasons of up to
  26 weeks-poor law after this time

9
1911 Insurance provisions

• Free medical inspection/not entitled to hospital
  or dental treatment
• Intended to maintain an income for the
  breadwinner, not to provide a national health
  service