Council Appoints Member to Help Decide Student Insurance Claims

The Student Council last night appointed a student representative to confer with Hygiene Department heads to judge the Validity of student claims for health insurance benefits.

The Council unanimously approved the selection of sophomore class representative Merom Brachman '58 of Lowell House "to sit with [the Hygiene Department's] Chiefs of Services once each months to consider those cases where the decision of the insurance company does not meet with approval of the student who has presented . . . claims."

The action resulted from a letter to the Council, written last summer by Dr. Dana L. Farnsworth, Director of the University Health Services, urging this arrangement.

"It is our hope," Farnsworth said, "that through this joint participation. . . in unusual cases not only will we have the benefit of the professional judgment of our staff, but also that added and necessary ingredient of the lay point of view in the evaluation of the merits of any controversial claim."

At the same meeting, council Treasurer Edward M. Abramson '57 announced the total receipts of the Council's registration fund drive as "roughly $3800," approximately $1200 about of last year's record total.

Abramson also stated, however, that between $2000 and $3000 is outstanding on pledges collected in lieu of cash donations. The Council will send out letters of appeal this week to all those who have not made good their pledges, although Abramson said that some of the notes were for sums over $50 and were probably uncollectable.