評論
打印
But unless prices fall dramatically, many low-earners would probably have to downgrade to insurance covering only catastrophes.
但是如果價格不大幅度下降，許多低收入者的保險等級可能會降到只覆蓋災難險。
After deregulation, such plans might include chilling limitations, such as caps on how much insurance will pay if a person becomes chronically ill.
放松管制后，諸如此類的計劃可能會包含糟糕的限制，比如，保險能報銷給慢性病的金額上限。
That would be sickening, especially as most affluent Americans benefit from subsidised health care.
這很令人惡心，尤其是因為大多數富裕的美國人受益于醫療補貼。
Fully 155m workers get health insurance from their employer without paying tax on this income-in-kind.
1.55億工人全部從雇主那里得到醫療保險，而不對這種收入實行納稅。
The tax exemption cost $268bn (1.4% of GDP) in 2016, enough to pay for Obamacare's subsidies six times over.
免除稅額在2016年花費了2680億美元(占GDP的1.4%)，足以支付奧巴馬醫療補助六次。
Hated by economists, it encourages firms to give their workers more generous health benefits rather than more pay.
它鼓勵公司給員工更多的健康福利，而不是更多的工資，因此被經濟學家所痛恨。
One-third of the benefit flows to the top fifth of earners.
有三分之一的收益流向了前五分之一的收入者。
Unfortunately, Mr Obama could not shrink the tax-break, having vilified John McCain, his opponent in the 2008 election, for proposing to scrap it.
不幸的是，奧巴馬不能縮減稅收優惠，他詆毀2008年選舉中的對手約翰·麥凱恩(John McCain)，因為對方提議廢除這項政策。
Instead, he created the so-called “Cadillac tax” on expensive plans, which is due to come into effect in 2020.
相反，他對高成本計劃制訂了所謂的“凱迪拉克稅”，本該于2020年生效。
Messrs Price and Ryan would do away with that and instead cap the exemption—a simpler approach.
普萊斯和瑞恩先生會將其撤銷，而不是采用一種更簡單的方法——限制免稅額。
It would be best to get rid of it completely.
最好是能完全擺脫它。
Doing so could fund a universal tax credit of $1,500 without touching Obamacare's means-tested payments, The Economist reckons.
經濟學人認為，這樣做可以為1500美元的普通水平稅收抵免提供資金，而不用接受奧巴馬醫保基于收入的保險支付制度。
Unfortunately, killing the perk would be very unpopular.
不幸的是，砍掉額外津貼的行為非常不受歡迎。
Just ask Mr McCain.
不信去問麥凱恩先生。
Making premiums affordable is only the first step.
使人們負擔得起保險費只是第一步。
People must also be able to pay their medical bills up to the point where their insurance coverage kicks in.
人們還必須能夠支付他們的醫療費用，達到保險覆蓋率的點。
The ACA limits such payments for low-earners, and reimburses insurers accordingly.
ACA限制了給低收入者的此類付款，并相應地償還給保險公司。
Those reimbursements, though, are currently held up in court after the House sued to stop them in 2014.
但是，自2014年眾議院提起訴訟要求其停止后，這筆補償款現在還在法院手里。
On February 21st it filed to delay legal proceedings.
2月21日，眾議院提出推遲訴訟程序。
Deciding what to do about the case—in which Mr Price is now the defendant—is yet another headache for the Republicans.
該如何妥善處理這個案子——普萊斯先生現在還是被告，是另一個共和黨人頭痛的問題。
譯文來源考研英語時事閱讀
