Monday, December 5, 1977
University Daily Kansan
3
Staff Photo by ELI REICHMAN
Sen. James Pearson
Pearson says bills could limit hospital costs
Bv SUSANT. HALL
Staff Writer
The government's new direction toward regulation of hospital costs is only a stopgap approach to buy a little time. Sen. James Pearson, R-Kan., told about 200 regional health care policy-makers, educators and students at the University of Kansas Friday.
But he said that other ways to keep costs down would have to be developed.
But, Pearson said, "If Congress votes to place a ceiling on these (hospital) costs, it will only be effective to buy a little time. It can only provide us with the money we need, and with systems agencies, private insurers and the federal government itself time to develop new ways
THE SECOND PRONG would be a ceiling on a hospital's annual capital expenditures, which currently finance most new facilities and equipment, he said. The Carter administration has proposed setting the ceiling at £2.5 billion a year.
Pearson, who addressed the Mid-America Conference on Health Costs, said pieces of legislation that would curtail rising hospital costs and have the strongest chance of passage in Congress present a two-pronged assault on hospital costs.
One prong of the assault, he said, is current legislation to set a limit on how much hospitals could receive annually from patients. Many members of Congress have suggested an annual rate increase of 9 per cent a patient.
The Lawrence City Commission will not hold its weekly meeting tomorrow night because three of the five commissioners are attending a National League of Cities
-KANSAN—
On Campus
Events
TODAY: INTERSESSION
ENROLMENTLE will at 8:30 a.m. at
Window One or a Offices in
Restroom H in Strong Hall ANGEL FLIGHT
will have a reception at 2 p.m. in the
Centennial Room of the Kansas Union.
John Stanford of Iowa University will present
A PHYSICS AND ASTROPHY Colloquium,
"at 4:30 p.m. in Malcolm Hall
TOMORROW: COLLEGE ASSEMBLY will meet at 4 p.m. in the Union's Forum Room. CHRISTIAN SCIENCE organization will meet at 6:30 p.m. in Danfort Chapel. SCIENCE FICTION Club will meet at 7 p.m. in the Union's Onedra Room. SUA BACKGAMMING Club will meet at 7 p.m. in Parlors B and C of the Union.
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Conference in San Francisco this week. The two commissioners remaining in Lawrence are to meet on Monday.
The commissioners at the conference are Don Binns, Jack Rose and Mayor Marnie Argressinger. They and Mike Wilden, assistant city manager, arrived at the conference yesterday and plan to return Thursday.
Development Act of 1977. The federal act, passed in September, changes some of the methods for allocating federal community development funds.
Wildgerd last week that the National League of an organization of U.S. city-powered football teams is powerful.
Its annual conference, he said, covers topics important to Lawrence and other
He said that the act required a split of funds, with 75 per cent going directly to people with low incomes and 25 per cent to others. The money previously was required to be spent in "target areas" of low-income residents.
"I think it tends to take money from smaller cities and gives it to larger cities."
One especially important topic this year, Wilden will, said, will be the Community
In Lawrence, eligible target areas have been the Pinckney, Oread, east Lawrence, far east Lawrence and north Lawrence neighborhoods.
of keeping costs reasonable and care exceptional."
With private health insurers paying the bills, the cost-conscious consumer is insulated from the realities of rising health costs, he said.
THE MEDICARE AND Medicat programs, sky rocketing hospital construction and specialized technology in medicine have provided little incentive for holding down costs to health-care recipients, he said.
The National Health Planning and Resource Department Act of 1974 gave the department of health legislation and administration to regulate its expensive technologies, he said, but the federal government still "must develop methods of evaluating research investment."
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away which has characterized some past programs and gives rise to the old joke that in Washington, if you cannot solve the problem in one way, you throw money at it."
THE NATIONAL HEALTH Planning Act also established state health systems agencies, which many people attending the one-day conference represented.
Pearson, who had introduced the idea for Friday's conference, said that he supported national health insurance, but that the tremendous cost behind guaranteeing a certain level of care to all Americans would be an obstacle to passage by Congress.
"But I also seriously question whether the high cost of care makes it a practical one at this precise time," he said. "It is quite clear to me that we simply must get a better handle on this whole health cost problem and make sure we have a national health insurance program."
in the meantime, he said, national
programs such as Medicare, to provide Americans with financial protection against theft.
PEARSON, WHO WILL retire next year after serving 18 years in the Senate, said he had no retirement plans other than to return to his Baldwin City farm.
Though Chancellor Archie Dykes and Pearson have discussed a teaching position "two or three times," Pearson said, no room to teach at KU have been made final.
Berman and State Senate Minority leader Jack Steinerberg, D-Kansas City, said last week that they would introduce into the 1978 Kansas Legislature a bill that will规定 hospital budgets and release rate requests it thought were excessive.
Also attending the health cost conference was State Sen. Arnold Berman, D-Lawrence, who served as a member on the public policy health costs panel.
Hear Ye, Hear Ye:
The Sanctuary of Lawrence invites all members and guests to
Come One, Come All, to the
Tom Jones Feast
to be held
This Tuesday, December 6th.
at
The Sanctuary
1401 West 7th
between 6:00 and 8:30
Served will be Barbequed Beef, Pork, and Chicken, as well as a healthy dose of fresh Cabrito (Baby Kid Goat) and Lamb, and all cooked in our own Smoke Oven. In addition enjoy Parslied Potatoes, Fresh Green Beans, Hors d'Oeuvres, and your own carafe of Wine. A Platter of Dazzling Fruit Surprises will also accompany your Bare-Handed Feast, and You are urged to eat all that You can hold.
Couples only may attend, and Reservations must be made and Tickets purchased prior to 6:00 p.m. Monday, December 5, at the Sanctuary. The Cost is $7.00 per Person. Such a Paltry Sun for the finest in Food, Frolic, and Felicity. Call 843-9703 now to Save your Seats, or better yet come e by and place your Reservation now for the Tom Jones Feast.
Advertise in the Kansan.Call 864-4358
INTERSESSION 1978
JANUARY 3 THROUGH JANUARY 13 THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
CATALOGS
COMPLETE CATALOGS ARE AVAILABLE AT THE OFFICE OF ADMISSIONS AND RECORDS, STRONG HALL.
REGISTRATION
OFFICE OF ADMISSIONS AND RECORDS
1st. FLOOR, STPONG HALL
DECEMBER 5 - 9
8:30-12:00, 1:00-5:00
PHONE: 864-4422