Series GR-2657 - British Columbia Hospital Insurance Service records

In 1948 the "Act to provide for the establishment of Hospital Insurance and Financial Aid to Hospitals" was passed. The British Columbia Hospital Insurance Service (BCHIS) was set up as the third branch of the Department of Health and Welfare. During its early years the BCHIS experienced many difficulties, particularly in collecting premiums. This difficulty was solved in 1954 when the government amended the Hospital Insurance Act abolishing premiums and providing that the Service be financed from consolidated revenue. An additional 2% was added to the sales tax effective April 1, 1954. These records illustrate the difficulties of collecting premiums, and other aspects of the work of the fledging BCHIS.

This accession is a small part, A - I, in an alphabetical series, of the Hospital Insurance Services' general office files. It includes material relating to the Liability and Adjustment division, the Inspector of Hospitals, the Hospital Advisory Council, as well as the executives, L.F. Detwiller (Commissioner) and D.M. Cox (Assistant Commissioner). The bulk of the files relate to the premium collections work, including correspondence with delinquent rate payers. The last part of this series, J-Z, did not arrive with this accession; its whereabouts, and whether it still exists, are unknown.