§ 38. Mr. KINGasked the Secretary to the Treasury whether his attention has been called to cases in which the demand of doctors on the panel to engage a temporary assistant for times when panel work is especially heavy has led to friction and resulted in difficulty in working the National Insurance Act; whether the Insurance Commissioners have power to deal with the right of doctors to engage assistants; and, if so, what action will be taken?
§ Mr. MASTERMANThe answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. Under the Regulations an assistant who is not himself on the panel can only treat insured persons on behalf of his principal when the latter is precluded by urgency of other professional duties, absence from home or other reasonable cause, from giving personal attendance to the insured persons under his care.