在美国， 得不到医保的我将被视为孬种

 

 

和世界各地的人一样，我也有一个美国梦。 我向往美国，这个能提供所谓好的生活质量和最好的生活环境的国度。但是，阻止我移民美国的计划恰恰是它的医疗体系。

With American Dreams in tow, I, like people all over the world, am drawn to the US, a country that provides so-called quality of life and the best living environment. But if anything has prevented me from proceeding with a plan to immigrate to America, it would be its healthcare system. 

加拿大医疗体系对病人一视同仁而不区别看待，但美国式的医疗体系则是为富裕阶层而建的，使那些失业人员和低收入的百姓缺乏基本的医疗保障。在美国的当前医疗制度下， 大企业雇主为1.56亿就业人员提供私人保险。但小企业工作的员工只能依靠“奥巴马医疗保障”度日，但就连这一可怜的医保也被那些支持富裕阶层的共和党人则视为眼中钉，并竭力将其废除。此外，他们还要削减对医疗补助（Medicaid)的拨款。而这一医疗补助项目则是低收入百姓享受医疗保障的唯一渠道。

Unlike the Canadian healthcare system that everyone is treated more or less the same, the American-style system is built for the wealthy class, leaving the unemployed and working poor falling through the cracks. Currently, the most common type of health coverage in the US is the employer-provided private insurance that offers 156 million American corporate employees a decent medical insurance. But employees working for small businesses could only rely on Obamacare, which the rich-supporting Republicans were poised but failed to kill. Worse yet, they want to abolish it and slash the Medicaid, the only lifeline for the working poor.

作为华人社区小生意公司雇员，如果我搬到美国，我就会同那些低收入美国百姓遭到同等命运，即私人医疗保险将成为我所渴望但不可及的奢侈品。

Working for a small business in the Chinese community, I would be in the shoes of the working poor if I moved to the US. The private health insurance would become something I desire but not entitled to. 

缺乏体面的私人医疗保险还可能会带来更为复杂的社会问题。私人保险不简简单单地是你解决健康顾虑的手段，而是带有某种地位象征的味道， 成为让保险拥有者享受他人得不到的受良好的医疗服务的特权，包括到最医生和医院去看病，享用最好的处方药和最先进的医疗技术。除了房屋、汽车、薪水和职位外，私人保险也将成为某人成功的象征。在一个深深痴迷成就感，追逐社会地位的华人社区，那些得不到这把金钥匙的人将被视作孬种。

Lacking the decent private insurance coverage may have more profound social implications. It provides more than a service that helps you to put your personal health in order. It has become a status symbol, showing a privileged access to the decent health services that others don’t have, such as top ranked doctors and hospitals, the best prescription drugs and the most advanced medical technology. In addition to houses and cars, as well as salaries and job titles, the private insurance coverage would be another indicator of ones’ success. In the Chinese community that is deeply obsessed with social status, those who don’t have such a golden ticket would be judged as a total failure. 

没错，我也许可以搜罗出我的个人储蓄来购买私人医疗保险。鉴于我要付昂贵的保费，很难想象我不会落入美国的那种将医疗保健视为奢侈消费品的心理，及就诊越多对健康越有利。在美国，医生和医院把有保险的病人当作挤牛奶。医生可能给我开那些效果不佳，但价格昂贵的药物给我，或让我做那些许多不必要的检测。要知道，我有医疗检查恐惧症。如果检查结果为假阳性，这将让我生活平添多少压力，让度过多少不眠之夜，多受多少罪啊！

Yes, I may be able to scramble for a coverage by purchasing the private insurance through my life savings. But given the expensive premiums I paid, it is hard to imagine that I will not be falling into this deeply engrained American psyche – that healthcare is just like personal consumption and that more care is better care. In the US, doctors and hospitals treat those with insurance as cash cows.  I might be prescribed with the pricy medicines that are less effective, or ordered tests that may give me – who suffers from medical examine phobia -- false positive results, adding unnecessary but substantial amount of stress to my life.

尽管加拿大的医疗系统存在各种问题，但它为加拿大公民提供了一个更加平等的制度，使我这样贫困的打工阶层能与其他人享受同样的医疗服务。我的健康卡是我去看医生所需要的唯一凭证。我的医生何时见我将根据我的健康状况，而不是我钱包的厚度，或我是否有一张大公司的打工卡。与美国体系不同，我不会通过各种医疗检测和服用各种药物来寻求一个解决医疗问题的捷径，而是会更加专注于寻找一个通向幸福健康之路的长期而有效方案，比如改善饮食和锻炼。

 Despite various problems, Canada provides a more equal system to its citizens, leveling the playing fields for the poor working class like myself. My health card is my only ticket to my doctor’s office and my appointment to see her will be arranged based on my health conditions, rather than relying on how thick my pocket is or whether I have a corporate badge. Unlike living under the American system where I would seek a quick fix for health problems through tests and drugs, I would more focus on finding a long-term health solution to ensure I live a productive and happy life – such as a healthy diet and exercise. 

显然，如果我移民美国，我将面对医疗保障的挑战，而医保将是我给我在美国生活带来巨大压力。这足以让我更珍惜加拿大，让我打消到一个歧视穷人的国度生活的年头，令我对其敬而远之。我感谢加拿大不会让我那低下的社会地位影响我寻医就诊，并在我得了与我有钱的朋友一样的疾病时，不会因为我没钱而将我抛弃而剥夺了我恢复健康的权利。

Apparently, facing healthcare challenges would be a significant stressor in my assumed life in America. It makes me value more about my Canadian dream and discourages me from pursuing a life in a country that discriminates against the poor. I appreciate that Canada would not let my marginalized social status to undermine my healthcare needs, or deprive my opportunities to seek assistance when I am as sick as my rich friends.