Mr. POINTERasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has considered the case of the medical aid societies at work in various parts of the country, which engage, pay, and control a medical practitioner of their own, who prescribes 488 for and attends the members of the society, using the medicines and drugs purchased by the society; and whether they will be affected by the National Insurance Bill, and, if so, how, and, if adversely, what provision he intends to make to enable them to continue their work?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEA medical aid society which is prepared so to extend its operations as to administer all the benefits provided under the National Health Insurance can become an approved society. Under the proposals of the Bill a society which desires to confine its activities within the existing limits can readily make such arrangements with the approved societies through which its members are insured to enable it to continue to administer their medical benefit and to receive the funds available for that purpose out of their contributions.