Health Care Problems in Rural and Small Communities (Macon, Ga., and Atlanta, Ga.) Joint Hearings Before the Subcommittee on Health of the Committee on Finance and Committee on Governmental Affairs, United States Senate, 9th Congress, 1st Session, August 16 and 17, 1977

摘要

The U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Health of the Committee on Finance and the Committee on Governmental Affairs met in Macon, Ga., on August 16, 1977, to discuss the need to make good health care available to citizens in rural and small communities. The proceedings of these joint committee hearings indicate that there is an uneven and unfair distribution of health care resources in the United States, as typified by the complete absence of resident physicians in 14 counties in Georgia, and by an infant mortality rate in central Georgia that is higher than the national rate in Bulgaria and Jamaica. Although a great deal of waste has been identified in Federal health programs, they can be effectively modified to prevent abuse and serve the public efficiently. Testimony before the joint committee was presented for the Administration by Dr. George Reich, the regional health administrator of the U.S. Public Health Service. Dr. Reich indicated the dilemma of the Mercer Medical School which cannot be eligible for Federal funding until it is accredited, but which does have the resources needed to prepare for accreditation unless those resources are provided by the Government. An exception to the accreditation requirement was recommended. Testimony by public witnesses included statements by the president of Atlanta Blue Cross, representatives of the Georgia Medical Association, and by the administrators of several Georgia hospitals. Many rural practitioners, including osteopaths and physician's assistants, have been confronted with rising costs that are not matched by Medicare and Medicaid. Additional information includes a proposed plan for family practitioners in Georgia.