Page 8-Tuesday, May 23, 1978-The Michigan Daily
High health care costs examined

By MICHAEL ARKUSH
A conference designed to evaluate
the significance of rising health care
costs was held Saturday at the
Rackham Amphitheater.
More than 100 people attended the
day-long program, which was spon-
sored by the University's Medical,
Public Health and Nursing Schools and
various organizations.
THE CONFERENCE emphasized the
growth of health care costs, different
proposals for better health care
systems and the growing alienation
between physicians and patients.
"We wanted to inform people about
the increasing health care costs and to
point out some of the solutions available
to bringing about a better health care
system," said Walter Smith, an alter-
nate trustee of the American Medical
Students Association (AMSA).
Robert Asmussen, vice-president for
reimbursement of Blue Cross and Blue
Shield, detailed the growing health care

costs and warned that prices would con-
tinue to rise.
"IN 1977, EVERYONE on the
average spent $900 for health care and
'In 1977, everyone, on-
the average, spent $900
for health care and this
is a 15.6 per cent increase
from 1976. We must re-
duce this increase to 13.8
per cent.'
-Robert Asmussen,
Blue Cross and
Blue Shield
this is a 15.6 percent increase from 1976.
We must reduce this increase to 13.8
percent," said Asmussen.
Peter Orris, a member of a commit-

tee lobbying for a national health ser-
vice, told the audience he believes
physicians will beon salaries from cor-
porations'within a decade if such a ser-
vice is not established. Orris said the
service should be locally controlled but
government owned to provide effective
health care.
Orris insisted many people support a
national health service but lack the
political or economic power to persuade
legislature to adopt the program. He
said the American Public Health Care
Association approved the plan and is
lobbying to convince members of
Congress to support a bill introduced by
Rep. Ronald Dellums (D-California)
which calls for the formation of the ser-
vice.
SMITH PRAISED the conference for
informing people about rising health
care costs and the possible solutions.
He said an evaluation sheet distributed
to the audience showed favorable
response.
"The people overwhelmingly suppor-


COMPLETE YOUR OUTFIT

ted the conference. People said they
now realize how much of a crisis it
really is and were concerned for finding
the appropriate solutions," Smith said.
Smith said another conference will be
held soon to further analyze the health
care situation. He complained that
some of the program's speakers failed
to adequately represent their viewpoin-
ts.
"Though I am pleased with the way
the speakers pointed out the options to
solving the crisis, I think that some
people really didn't grasp the details of
the National Health Service or the
National Health Insurance Program or
many other ideas presented," said
Smith.
Geralds to
run again
in November
MADISON HEIGHTS (UPI) - Monte
Geralds, a convicted felon who became
the first lawmaker in Michigan history
to be ousted by his colleagues, will run
for re-election in November for his old
seat in the House, he said Sunday.
The 43-year-old Geralds, convicted of
embezzling $24,000 from a law client,
said he will not run in a special election
next month to fill the vacancy created
when he was ejected from the House
but will run in the November genereal
election.
"IT DOES NOT seem possible to run
a campaign and prepare for a trial,"
said Geralds. The special election to fill
his 66th District House seat was set for
July 11 and the primary was scheduled
June 20.
A civil suit brought against Geralds,
a two-term Democrat, by the embez-
zled client begins in Oakland County
Circuit Court June 22.
The House on May 10 voted 84-20 to
oust Geralds because of his conviction.
The Italian anatomist Marcello
Malpighi was one of the founders of
histology, or microscopic anatomy,
and a number of anatomical details
bear his name, such as the
Malpighian tufts in the kidney and
the Malpighian layer of the epider-
mis. He became the chief physician
to Pope Innocent XII in 1691.
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For Information Please Cll
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