Private and Public Action in Meeting Health Needs

The health field is a prime example of parallel and interrelated private and public action. Government pres ently has responsibility for public health programs, medical care for recipients of public assistance, programs for veterans with service-connected disabilities, and for patients with dis eases such as tuberculosis and mental conditions. Responsi bility is shared between various levels of government and pri vate efforts for costs of constructing new facilities and for training new health personnel. Government provides funds for more than half of all medical research. For direct per sonal health services, however, the private sector has been and is the overwhelming source of funds. The current major chal lenge to the private sector in providing for direct personal health service is the debated proposal to provide medical care for the aged through the Old Age, Survivors and Disability In surance Act. Such enactment would establish a precedent, because an entire age group would be included regardless of income, relative need for medical care, incidence of specific dis ease entities, or special obligations. And it could open the way for universal government health insurance. In the last analy sis, it would not be practical for government to provide the range of choice in health services currently available. Pre sumably, a plan of basic, minimum health care guaranteed to all would be devised with individuals purchasing added services directly or through private systems of health insurance with the likelihood of two grades of care.—Ed.