2006年VOA标准英语-Rising Health Care Costs Leave More Americ

By Jessica Berman
Washington
04 May 2006 
 

Members of teamsters union local 1150 protest at the United Technologies Corporation annual meeting over the issue of health care in New York   
  
As the wealthiest nation on earth with the most advanced medical technology, the United States ought to serve as a global model for health care delivery. But this is not the case, as an estimated 46 million Americans live in fear of serious illness because they don't have health insurance that would help pay their medical bills. Experts say something needs to be done to rescue a growing number of Americans from the perils¹ of uninsured health care.

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Ethel Shaw may soon join the ranks of America's uninsured. Shaw works for contractors² that provide custodial³ services at two U.S. government agencies.

At 61, Shaw says she is tired and wants to retire, but her medical problems, including diabetes⁴, high blood pressure and glaucoma, won't permit it.

She has health insurance through her one job that helps pay some major medical bills, but the plan is very limited.

For example, Shaw says it does not cover routine necessities, such as diabetes supplies like a glucometer to measure her blood sugar level.

"I've been trying to hold on to that one because I can't afford to get no more because it's too high. That stuff is high, you know, and we're not making all that kind of money," she said.

America's health care system is unique among industrialized democracies in that there is no universal, government-sponsored health care plan for all citizens.

American employers historically have offered health insurance as a job benefit to cover doctors' office visits and medication for their employees.

But Jonathan Parker, of the Service Employees International Union, says more and more employers are opting⁵ out of health insurance benefits for their employees.

His union represents 1.8 million workers in the health care, government and service industries.

"Now, when you go to the bargaining table, it's not wages, it's health care that is the number one item on the list in terms of bargaining and having to make sure is still part of the contract," explained Parker.

Health insurance has become very expensive, and that is the reason many employers are backing out of it.

Karen Davenport, executive director of health care policy for the Center for American Progress, says the amount of money an employer pays each month to insure a worker, called a health care premium⁶, has increased five times faster than wages over the past several years.

Davenport says there are several reasons for the sharp rise in premiums⁷, including the large number of people who cannot get insurance through their jobs.

"The ones that are probably of greatest concern would be the people who are uninsured who delay care and who end up using not just emergency room services, but more complex, more complicated, more intensive services when they do get care," she said.

Children's National Medical Center in Washington provides specialty⁸ and emergency care to children.

Kathleen Chavanu, the hospital's executive director of Quality Improvement and Clinical Support Services, says some people are unable to pay for the care they receive there.

"I think that we provide a high amount of uncompensated care here at Children's National Medical Center, anywhere from $28 and $30 million a year that we report that is provided as uncompensated care," noted⁹ Chavanu. "And that's really approximately eight to ten percent of our population."

According to the American Hospital Association, hospitals doled¹⁰ out $27 billion in uncompensated care in 2004.

As a charitable organization, Chavanu says Children's makes up the shortfall through fundraising campaigns.

But privately¹¹ run hospitals pass along the cost of uncompensated care to insured patients in the form of higher hospital bills. The health plans in turn raise premiums to cover the more expensive costs.

Those who want to reform the system disagree over the best solution to U.S. health care crisis.

The Bush Administration advocates private health savings¹² accounts that give Americans tax credits for money they set aside to pay their medical bills. Critics say such plans favor large insurance companies over low wage earners.

That's why many people support universal health care plans similar to those in other countries. Again, Karen Davenport, of the Center for American Progress.

"It's about building large pools of people who have health insurance and about being able to spread risk and share costs across large groups," she added.

In virtually every major poll of Americans, the looming¹³ health care crisis is near the top of the list of concerns, next to the war in Iraq.

Health care reform may be on the way sooner rather than later.

But the safety is not there yet to help people like Ethel Shaw.

"I'm worried about my health… I don't know how I'm going to make it if I give up the job. But if I stay on the job, I don't know how I'm going to make it because I'm half sick," said Shaw.

1 perils   

极大危险( peril的名词复数 )； 危险的事（或环境）

参考例句：

• The commander bade his men be undaunted in the face of perils. 指挥员命令他的战士要临危不惧。
• With how many more perils and disasters would he load himself? 他还要再冒多少风险和遭受多少灾难？

2 contractors   

n.（建筑、监造中的）承包人( contractor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• We got estimates from three different contractors before accepting the lowest. 我们得到3个承包商的报价后，接受了最低的报价。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Contractors winning construction jobs had to kick back 2 per cent of the contract price to the mafia. 赢得建筑工作的承包商得抽出合同价格的百分之二的回扣给黑手党。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 custodial   

adj.监护的，照管的

参考例句：

• The teenagers were convicted of manslaughter and given a two-year custodial sentence. 这些青少年被判过失杀人罪，及二年的监禁（拘留）刑罚。
• This article interrogates the cultural experience of being a non custodial mother. 本文审视一位无监护权的母亲所感受到的文化体验。

4 diabetes   

n.糖尿病

参考例句：

• In case of diabetes, physicians advise against the use of sugar.对于糖尿病患者，医生告诫他们不要吃糖。
• Diabetes is caused by a fault in the insulin production of the body.糖尿病是由体內胰岛素分泌失调引起的。

5 opting   

v.选择，挑选( opt的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• What courses are most students opting for? 多数学生选什么课程？ 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Wells doesn't rule out opting out and then re-signing with Houston. 威尔斯没有排除跳出合同再与火箭重签的可能。 来自互联网

6 premium   

n.加付款；赠品；adj.高级的；售价高的

参考例句：

• You have to pay a premium for express delivery.寄快递你得付额外费用。
• Fresh water was at a premium after the reservoir was contaminated.在水库被污染之后，清水便因稀而贵了。

7 premiums   

n.费用( premium的名词复数 )；保险费；额外费用；（商品定价、贷款利息等以外的）加价

参考例句：

• He paid premiums on his life insurance last year. 他去年付了人寿保险费。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• Moves are afoot to increase car insurance premiums. 现正在酝酿提高汽车的保险费。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 specialty   

n.(speciality)特性，特质；专业，专长

参考例句：

• Shell carvings are a specialty of the town.贝雕是该城的特产。
• His specialty is English literature.他的专业是英国文学。

9 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

10 doled   

救济物( dole的过去式和过去分词 )； 失业救济金

参考例句：

• The food was doled out to the poor. 食品分发给了穷人。
• Sisco briskly doled out the United States positions on the key issues. 西斯科轻快地把美国在重大问题上的立场放了出去。

11 privately   

adv.以私人的身份，悄悄地，私下地

参考例句：

• Some ministers admit privately that unemployment could continue to rise.一些部长私下承认失业率可能继续升高。
• The man privately admits that his motive is profits.那人私下承认他的动机是为了牟利。

12 savings   

n.存款，储蓄

参考例句：

• I can't afford the vacation,for it would eat up my savings.我度不起假，那样会把我的积蓄用光的。
• By this time he had used up all his savings.到这时，他的存款已全部用完。

13 looming   

n.上现蜃景（光通过低层大气发生异常折射形成的一种海市蜃楼）v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的现在分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近

参考例句：

• The foothills were looming ahead through the haze. 丘陵地带透过薄雾朦胧地出现在眼前。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Then they looked up. Looming above them was Mount Proteome. 接着他们往上看，在其上隐约看到的是蛋白质组山。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 回顾与展望