Cambridge Voters Suspicious Of National Health Insurance

Fearful of high costs, fraud and duplication of services, most Cambridge voters interviewed yesterday said they would oppose national health insurance on next month's city referendum.

Question 1 on the November 6, ballot asks voters "Should the Cambridge City Council support a national health service program which provides comprehensive care, including preventive, curative and occupational health services."

"It just can't be administered effectively by the government," Brad Schreder said yesterday, stopping to talk outside the Orson Welles Theater.

He said the free market can provide health treatment at the same price, while "minimizing the administrative costs."

"There is a substantial effort at hospital cost containment now, he added. "The bottom line is that costs can best be contained by the market system."

A painter set down his toolbox on the sidewalk near City Hall long enough to say he is "dubious" about national health insurance.

"Chances are it would be abused, even worse than Medicaid and Medicare," he said. "There is simply a limit as to how much you can spend. It sounds cruel, but do you spend $500,000 to keep a guy alive for four months?"

Ruth and Wallace He lie yesterday agreed their present coverage is sufficient. "I'm covered by Medicaid, and it seems to do the job for me," Ruth Helie said.

But some said need outweighs the cost. "I'm not sure we can afford it, but I certainly think that we need it, Virginia Call away said yesterday. "The cost should be according to what you earn, but I definitely believe in insurance for everybody," Callaway added.

Picking up his toolbox and striding off down Mass. Ave., the painter threw back one more caution--"You never know what I'll do when I get in there and actually see the question," he said.