Dr. Steen--You won't get the opinion of the majority of the Society at the Picnic.
Dr. Bernstein--Someone might get up and say "We have this wonderful opportunity to tell you about".
Dr. Manning--If the feeling is for approval of TV participation and that it be announced to the group on Saturday at the Picnic, I will do so.
Dr. Beaton--I so move. If we do that, can't it be put in a letter, just so everybody will know it was unanimously approved?
Dr. Kent--I move that we go on record as approving that the Pima County Medical Society sponsor this Television program as proposed by the President, and that the matter be brought up before the group at the Picnic, and that they be informed that the Board of Directors has unanimously passed it.
Dr. Harry Thompson--I think you must notify them in writing, so they all have a chance to object. They must be allowed to so state. I do not think they should be polled at the Picnic.
Dr. Kent's motion seconded by Dr. Engle.
Dr. Harry Thompson--I repeat, all the members should be allowed to object.
Call for the question by Dr. Manning.
Dr. Engle--I call for an amendment. I have that right. I think that the Picnic is a poor place to bring this up from the standpoint of the general atmosphere, and that a small percentage of membership will attend. I think it should be carried to the Society as a whole by sending a card and return reply if they care to make one; that they be balloted by mail, and also that "the Board of Directors 'unanimously approve' be taken out.
Dr. Kent--I withdraw that motion.
I move that the Board of Directors go on record as approving the TV program proposed by the President and that the matter be brought up before the entire Society for purpose of approval or disapproval by mail ballot; that the members be individually advised of this action and their comments invited.
Dr. Engle--Why not just say that all members of the Society be invited to ballot by mail on this subject, and that if no reply is received only those which are returned will be counted.
Motion of Dr. Kent seconded by Dr. Beaton.
Dr. Hayden--I move an amendment, that the President be instructed to write an appropriate letter of explanation of the Television program and notify the membership that the plan has definitely been approved by the Board of Directors by an overwhelming majority vote.
Amendment seconded by Dr. Harry Thompson.
Amendment carried.
Motion carried.
The Secretary submitted that Mr. Hill Holmburg, at Hughes Aircraft Co. had called him this date to say that one of the outfits in town is charging patients $1.00 to fill out and sign medical insurance forms, and that Mr. Holmburg was quite upset about it. Following this, he said, he was informed that there had been a meeting of clinic managers at which this subject had been discussed, the decision being that they would so charge. Also, the Society office received a telephone call from Miss Forbes at the Pioneer Hotel, reporting this charge. Dr. Steen stated that the business manager at the Tucson Clinic made the strong point against Hughes that they send the checks to the patients and no money comes to the doctor; that they had filled eight different claims for one individual, never receiving a cent from the deal.
Dr. Carreras said that he, too, had received a telephone call on this matter today, that the Thomas-Davis Clinic started charging $1.00 for these insurance forms two or three weeks ago because they have had so much difficulty in obtaining payment from the patients who themselves receive the checks. He stated that such excuse as "It was Christmastime and I used it for presents", is offered, and that since
