In answer to a question in the House of Commons
on Wednesday Mr. Lloyd George made an announcement as to the new arrangements to be made with the doctors under the Insurance Act. It was proposed to add to the amount avail- able for medical benefit a sum equivalent to 2s. 6d. per insured person per annum, thus bringing the total for the purpose to 8s. 6d. Of this amount a minimum of 6s. 6d. would be definitely assigned for medical remuneration and ls. 6d. for drugs. A further 6d. would then be available for drugs where required, and would otherwise be available for medical remuneration. Counting a further 6d. which would be applicable from the sanatorium benefit fund, the total remuneration which the doctors would receive would thus be 7s. or possibly 7s. 6d. per bead of the insured, exclusive of drugs. The total annual cost of this additional grant is estimated at £1,650,000, and supplementary estimates for the amount will have to be voted in the House of Commons. Whether the doctors will accept this partial victory for their contention remains to be seen.
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