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Background: 10,000 old folks went to Madison Square Garden in New York May 18, to attend a demonstration in favor of the Forand Bill. In Washington, the House Ways and Means Committee tried again to agree on a health care plan for the aged.

Care of the aged had become a major platform issue here in election year. Eisenhower put forward a proposal to take over this care but failed to get the support of Congress or the House, despite urgent appeals that this matter be pushed through during the closing stages of his term of office. The present plan would be financed jointly by the Federal Government and each of the States, and would benefit persons of less than a minimum income rather than anyone retiring on Social Security.

Stressing that their plan differs from that of the Eisenhower-Administration, the House Ways and Means Committee has been meeting behind closed doors for 72 days, tangled in a single issue of Medical Care.

The meeting in Madison Square Garden is in support of a Bill offered by Representatives Aime J. Forand which would provide hospital and nursing benefits to all social security "retirees". The cost of this would be borne by increases in income tax payable by both employers and employees. This Bill was rejected by the House Ways and Means Committee.