Support for: (1) medical care for all persons regardless of ability to pay, (2) an information and referral system of local medical services, (3) a clinic with a sliding scale of charges, and (4) health education both in the schools and in the community. 

I.  The League of Women Voters of Lawrence–Douglas County believes that basic medical care, including preventive care, is the right of every person who needs and wants it. In order to encourage responsible use of costly medical services, everyone should pay something for the services they receive. There is support for charges based on ability to pay, and members favor federal, state, and local governments' subsidizing of medical care for those who cannot afford it. 
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II. Some persons do not have adequate access to preventive health care such as screening, education, and information. Emergency needs are usually met, often with the help of a variety of social service agencies, but increased preventive care could decrease emergencies. Lack of information about available services contributes to the lack of adequate services.
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III. League members have a general concern for spiraling costs of services, for keeping services cost-efficient, and for better integrating programs and services to the client. There also was concern about the advisability of an over-reliance on volunteers for necessary services. 

1. The League supports an information and referral system as a way of coordinating health and social services. It would be preferable to try to expand and correlate the services provided by volunteer groups or some existing governmental department such as the Public Health Department rather than to create a separate agency. The information and referral system should have a trained and salaried director to prevent a growing fragmentation and duplication. A minority expressed reservations concerning the need. 

League supports screening for people under 65 for purposes of health education, disease detection, and as a help to gaining access to medical care as it is needed. 

2. There is support for local government to take initiative in providing transportation needed to receive health care. There was consensus that there should be a program of home delivery of meals and support for adult day care services, possibly as an expansion of the congregate meals program. 

3. The League supports a clinic for providing medical care on a sliding scale basis, comparable to the treatment services available at Bert Nash Mental Health Center.
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IV. The League supports educational programs for healty living. Health education courses and physical education classes should be in the curriculum at all grade levels with major emphasis on health, exercise, development of skills, and participation in sports that encourage lifelong physical fitness. The media should be effectively used in bringing health education topics to the public. Health education materials should be readily available at screening clinics. The League supports health education services of the Public Health Department. The League strongly supports access to school playgrounds and gymnasiums by the public when school is not in session.

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