Socialized Medicine in Great Britain

Report Outline
Social Security Financing of Health Care
Development of British Health Service
Present Status of the British Program
Problems Facing National Health Service

Social Security Financing of Health Care

Kennedy Plan for the Aged; Truman Plan for All

Hearings before the House Ways and Means Committee on President Kennedy's plan to finance health care of the aged through the Social Security system have laid the initial groundwork for action on the proposed legislation at the 1962 session of Congress. The President's plan, outlined in a special message last Feb. 9, would provide specified benefits for “all persons aged 65 and over who are eligible for Social Security or Railroad Retirement benefits.”

Benefits under the proposed legislation would be of four types, set forth as follows:

1. In-patient hospital services up to 90 days in a single spell of illness, for all costs in excess of $10 a day for the first nine days (with a minimum of $20), and full costs for the remaining 81 days.