monday, january 29, 1979 daily nebraskan page 7 Seminar focuses on national health insurance issue By Cindy Johnson National health insurance and its alternatives were dis cussed Saturday at the third annual seminar sponsored by the UNL Actuarial Science Club. Lois Ann Rosen of Chicago, co-chairperson of the Committee for National Health Insurance in Illinois, which aided Sen. I'dward Kennedy in drafting the Health Insurance bill, spoke in favor of national health insurance. "Health care legislation has been introduced into several sessions of Congress since its first introduction in 19 16," said Rosen, a former Iowa farm girl. She said every industrial country in the world employs health care insurance except the United States and South Africa. High costs Approximately one ninth of a U.S. family's income is spent on health insurance, she said, adding that she con siders present costs too high. "Health care is not readily available to people without the money to pay the costs," Rosen added. "Therefore, people needing services may go without." The bill would cause a substantial reduction in un necessary medical care, she said. The health care plan, still in preliminary form, is ex plained by its advocates as "legislation to cover every resident of the United States with mandatory health in surance, with federal financing of coverage for the poor, unemployed and aged." The bill would control hospital and physician costs, and would pay them wages on the basis of prc-negotiated amounts. The program would be administered by federal public authorities, who would contract witli each state to es tablish state authorities to help implement the insurance program. Employers would pay a premium related to total wages. According to the program, employers paying high wages would pay more for health insurance than employers paying low wages, although the base rate would be the same. The self-employed would purchase coverage at group rates through a certified issuer. Risk pricing would not be a factor in issuers compet ing for enrollecs. Insurance companies would not be penalized for taking people with higher risks. Rosen added that the overspending involved in the pre sent health care system is a major concern to health care advocates. "For the money spent, we deserve a better system," she said. Opposition Robert Froehlke of Washington, D.C., president of the Health Insurance Association of America is opposed to the bill. "If holding down costs of insurance is an objective of the bill," Froehlke commented, "no federal government program has ever successfully held down a cost over a private individual." According to Froehlke, the purpose of health care legis lation is to insure that all Americans have adequate health care at affordable costs. Froehlke said he believes a plan such as the proposed Kennedy bill that would displace the private insurance in dustry and control medicine through tax dollars is not likely to pass in the 96th Congress. He does, however, see two alternative possibilities to national health insurance. Possible alternatives Froehlke cited a phase of national health insurance. such as national catastrophic insurance, as a possible plan, lie also mentioned a broader version of the Kennedy bill that would move the date to increase taxes to pay for the insurance into the 9N0's. Pursuing an alternative to the national health insurance is the goal of II. Pete Hudson of Indianapolis, president of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. "I see no need for a new government bureaucracy to be formed. State regulation, in opposition to a government agency, provides greater accessability and input for in surance purchasers." he said. Hudson advises an appropriate structure of health in surance and cost containment at a state level instead of a national level. The alternate plan would mandate availability while the current plan mandates purchase. The plan would not limit benefits or catastrophic insurance allowed. The plan also would include mandatory cost sharing by the insured, to avoid covering small budgetable health care expenses. Other arguments against national health insurance are that everyone would be included in the plan and would be forced to pay for it through taxes, whether they chose to use it or not. Certain religious groups, such as faith healers, were cited. According to the plans' opponents, individual's freedom of choice would be violated. Also mentioned in a panel discussion was the notion that the national health insurance would eliminate the profit incentive in the medical and insurance industries. Speakers also questioned if the lack of incentive would decrease the quality of health care. DUU tuff Circle K will meet Mon day at 7 p.m. in the Ne braska Union. Hie I'NL Rodeo Club will meet Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the Nebraska Fast Union. They are taking applications for rodeo queen, due by Feb. 9. The execs will meet at 6:30. Annie Lenney will exhibit her art. entitled "Seasonal Landscapes" to day through Feb. 7 in the east union Loft. It is spon sored by the UPC-L Visual Arts Committee and the Old Bergan Art Guild. The UNL Chess Club will meet today from 3:30 to 5:30 in the union. Room number will be posted. The ASA I; business meeting is today at 6:30 p.m. in the Agriculture Engineering Building! room 206. Ted Lyon will speak on employment opportunit ies at Sperry New Holland. All persons interviewing with Sperry New Holland are asked to attend. The UNL Finance Club will have an organizational meeting Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the union. All full time students interested in the finance field are wel come. Room number will be posted. 9 a.m. Executive Food Service-Search Committee, Svcamore Room. 12:30 p .m. -District V Extension Awareness, Golden rod Room. 1 p.m. Ag Communica tions - Communications Shortcourse. Sunflower Room. 4 p. ni. Vice Chancellor for Research-Tenure, Syca more Room Review Com mittee. 7:30 p.m.-University Program Council-East Films. Great Plains Room. Com mittee presents: "Saturday Night Fever" UPC East-Annie Lenney Art Exhibit. dt's nt JUST ANOT01H32 The book sales that we're famous for take on a new dimension all this week as we feature bcure university press titles, recent bestsellers, and assorted books that are simply impossible to categorize starting at 99 cents each. Save up to 702 on books all week long. 4 -I American! iarus liExgpEss Welcome T7 Ha Open 8-5 Monday -Saturoay CD CD The Student Advisory Board of The UNL College of Business Administration PRESENTS The Vice President of Finance and Corporate Treasurer of ITandT fit I " ' di JOHN P. PFANN TUESDAY, JANUARY 30 UNION BALLROOM TIME 1230-130 Topic:"Thc Ill-effects of Inflation" VISA' f- vol a. i w m vit 1979 1135 R 432-0111 mot