【英语时差8,16】医疗保险

ANNCR: Medicare — on today’s Congressional Moment By the early 1950s, it was becoming apparent that a growing number of elderly Americans had no economic protection from the increasing cost of health care. Most people over 65 had very low incomes and few owned private health insurance of any kind. Congress began a years–long debate on this issue of national health insurance for the elderly. Critics in Congress feared Medicare would lead to substandard and overpriced care, and felt that it should serve only the indigent¹. They also predicted that, with growing numbers participating, it would eventually bankrupt the federal Treasury². The legislative³ compromise that became the final Medicare Act – officially known as the "Social Security Amendments⁴ of 1965” – was part of President Lyndon Johnson's "Great Society" program. Today it protects more than 40 million Americans from the high cost of hospital care. Much of the program's costs are covered by payroll⁵ taxes paid by workers. Yet costs quickly started to exceed expectations, and as Americans' life expectancy⁶ increased over the years, the Medicare program became even more expensive. It has become a matter of national debate and a financial issue for every Congress and President since. Today it is still one of the fastest growing items in the federal budget. Nonetheless, Medicare remains⁷ a popular program, and a well–established part of the federal government's role in our society.

1 indigent   

adj.贫穷的，贫困的

参考例句：

• The town government is responsible for assistance to indigent people.镇政府负责给穷人提供帮助。
• A judge normally appoints the attorney for an indigent defendant at the defendant's first court appearence.法官通常会在贫穷被告人第一次出庭时，为其指派一名辩护律师。

2 treasury   

n.宝库；国库，金库；文库

参考例句：

• The Treasury was opposed in principle to the proposals.财政部原则上反对这些提案。
• This book is a treasury of useful information.这本书是有价值的信息宝库。

3 legislative   

n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的

参考例句：

• Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
• Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。

4 amendments   

（法律、文件的）改动( amendment的名词复数 )； 修正案； 修改； （美国宪法的）修正案

参考例句：

• The committee does not adequately consult others when drafting amendments. 委员会在起草修正案时没有充分征求他人的意见。
• Please propose amendments and addenda to the first draft of the document. 请对这个文件的初稿提出修改和补充意见。

5 payroll   

n.工资表，在职人员名单，工薪总额

参考例句：

• His yearly payroll is $1.2 million.他的年薪是120万美元。
• I can't wait to get my payroll check.我真等不及拿到我的工资单了。

6 expectancy   

n.期望，预期，（根据概率统计求得）预期数额

参考例句：

• Japanese people have a very high life expectancy.日本人的平均寿命非常长。
• The atomosphere of tense expectancy sobered everyone.这种期望的紧张气氛使每个人变得严肃起来。

7 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。