美国国家公共电台 NPR Her Own Medical Future At Stake, A Child Storms Capitol Hill

 

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The Republican effort to replace the Affordable¹ Care Act failed in part because of the changes they wanted to make to Medicaid. The proposal would have cut federal spending on the program by a third. Opposition² came from all sides. Republican governors, the American Medical Association, not to mention the many lobbyists knocking on the doors of lawmakers on Capitol Hill. NPR's Alison Kodjak spent the day with one Medicaid supporter, an 11-year-old speaking on behalf of the Children's Hospital Association.

SUSIE PITTS: Medicaid is what?

TYMIA MCCULLOUGH: Health insurance.

PITTS: Health insurance that does what?

TYMIA: It pays for you to see the doctor.

ALISON KODJAK, BYLINE³: Tymia McCollough fidgets in front of a mirror in her hotel room as her mom, Susie Pitts, put the final touches on her hair and nervously⁴ drills her on what she's going to say.

PITTS: If you cut or cap Medicaid, there is no...

TYMIA: Guarantee that you will get the consistent care that...

KODJAK: It's a big day for this petite 11-year-old, who's wearing the tiara she won when she was named Miss Pre-Teen South Carolina. She and her family are in Washington, D.C., for the first time, and they're about to meet some members of Congress. Their mission - to convince those lawmakers to say no to cutting Medicaid.

PITTS: She's had two surgeries, 45 blood transfusions⁵, over 49 hospitalizations. And Medicaid is what pays it.

KODJAK: That's because Tymia has sickle⁶ cell anemia⁷, a genetic⁸ disease where her red blood cells can't carry oxygen. The episodes can be painful, and the disease can be fatal.

PITTS: This last previous time, it was - she was fine. She was having fun. She was dancing.

TYMIA: And at that point, it started in my left leg, and it was - my leg was swollen⁹. And it feels like a knife is just stabbing me out and in.

PITTS: And she'll start screaming, and it's a scream that I wish upon no one to hear.

KODJAK: It's because of these episodes that Tymia is considered disabled, which qualifies her for Medicaid. And her message for the Congressmen...

TYMIA: Medicaid is very special to me, and I want to live for the rest of my life, and...

PITTS: I pray that they understand the importance because it's her life that they are dealing¹⁰ with. I always ask this question. What would you do if it was your child?

KODJAK: Later, Tymia heads to Capitol Hill. She's got a small entourage, including a lobbyist from the Medical University of South Carolina, where she gets her care. By the time they arrive at the Rayburn House Office Building, she's pretty excited.

TYMIA: Sam Rayburn. Hi, Mr. Rayburn.

KODJAK: She heads upstairs to her first meeting with Republican Congressman¹¹ Mark Sanford. As we approach Sanford's office, a woman walks out.

UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN #1: Oh, are you Miss South Carolina?

TYMIA: Yes, I am.

UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN #1: Oh, my goodness, you look so pretty. I love your crown.

TYMIA: Thank you.

KODJAK: And now it's time to meet the congressman.

PITTS: I'm going to pray before we go in there. Always pray.

UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN #2: So this is the star of the show. This is Mia. Come on in.

KODJAK: Mia sits down on a little couch beside Representative Sanford, and she's off.

TYMIA: I really need Medicaid because it pays for my medical equipment, my checkups, to me to see the doctor and be hospitalized. So please do not cut Medicaid or cap because it's very important to me.

MARK SANFORD: Wow.

KODJAK: Sanford tries to assure Mia he's on her side.

SANFORD: I hear you loud and clear on the Medicaid front. Now, don't make me cry. I'm a little emotional this week. My mom died, and so I'm going to start to cry with you if you start to cry.

KODJAK: Then he talks about spending priorities and budgets. Tymia looks straight ahead. A single tear rolls down her cheek. Her mom, Susie, leans in.

PITTS: What if it was you or if it was your loved one? What would you do?

KODJAK: Sanford assures them that he wants to protect Medicaid for children like Mia. Then he's called away to the House floor.

SANFORD: I mean we just have to get unlucky with our timing¹² here, but when there's a vote, there's a vote. But I want to continue...

UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN #3: Great job.

TYMIA: Thank you.

KODJAK: Mia and her entourage head to the next office. They'll have four meetings this day where they'll hear about reimbursement¹³ rates and the proper role of government. By the end, Mia is tired and riding in a wheelchair. Susie, though - she refuses to be intimidated¹⁴ by the politics or the jargon¹⁵. She's geared up for another full day on Capitol Hill.

PITTS: Looking forward to it. I'm ready. I'm ready (laughter).

KODJAK: Alison Kodjak, NPR News, Washington.

1 affordable   

adj.支付得起的，不太昂贵的

参考例句：

• The rent for the four-roomed house is affordable.四居室房屋的房租付得起。
• There are few affordable apartments in big cities.在大城市中没有几所公寓是便宜的。

2 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

3 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

4 nervously   

adv.神情激动地，不安地

参考例句：

• He bit his lip nervously,trying not to cry.他紧张地咬着唇，努力忍着不哭出来。
• He paced nervously up and down on the platform.他在站台上情绪不安地走来走去。

5 transfusions   

n.输血( transfusion的名词复数 )；输液；倾注；渗透

参考例句：

• Still, transfusions have apparently never spread the disease, even among hemophiliacs. 还有，输血很明显从未传播过这种病，即使在血友病人之间也是如此。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 口蹄疫疯牛病
• Blood transfusions are a special, limited example of tissue transplantation. 输血是一个特殊的、有限制的组织移植的例子。 来自辞典例句

6 sickle   

n.镰刀

参考例句：

• The gardener was swishing off the tops of weeds with a sickle.园丁正在用镰刀嗖嗖地割掉杂草的顶端。
• There is a picture of the sickle on the flag. 旗帜上有镰刀的图案。

7 anemia   

n.贫血，贫血症

参考例句：

• The doctors analyzed the blood sample for anemia. 医生们分析了贫血的血样。
• I was put on iron tablets for my anemia.我曾因贫血吃补铁药片。

8 genetic   

adj.遗传的，遗传学的

参考例句：

• It's very difficult to treat genetic diseases.遗传性疾病治疗起来很困难。
• Each daughter cell can receive a full complement of the genetic information.每个子细胞可以收到遗传信息的一个完全补偿物。

9 swollen   

adj.肿大的，水涨的；v.使变大，肿胀

参考例句：

• Her legs had got swollen from standing up all day.因为整天站着，她的双腿已经肿了。
• A mosquito had bitten her and her arm had swollen up.蚊子叮了她，她的手臂肿起来了。

10 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

11 Congressman   

n.（美）国会议员

参考例句：

• He related several anecdotes about his first years as a congressman.他讲述自己初任议员那几年的几则轶事。
• The congressman is meditating a reply to his critics.这位国会议员正在考虑给他的批评者一个答复。

12 timing   

n.时间安排，时间选择

参考例句：

• The timing of the meeting is not convenient.会议的时间安排不合适。
• The timing of our statement is very opportune.我们发表声明选择的时机很恰当。

13 reimbursement   

n.偿还，退还

参考例句：

• He received reimbursement for his travel expenses.由于出差的花费他可以得到公司的补偿。
• Which forms do I need to complete for my travel reimbursement?我需要填什么表来报我的旅费？

14 intimidated   

v.恐吓；威胁adj.害怕的；受到威胁的

参考例句：

• We try to make sure children don't feel intimidated on their first day at school. 我们努力确保孩子们在上学的第一天不胆怯。
• The thief intimidated the boy into not telling the police. 这个贼恫吓那男孩使他不敢向警察报告。 来自《简明英汉词典》

15 jargon   

n.术语，行话

参考例句：

• They will not hear critics with their horrible jargon.他们不愿意听到评论家们那些可怕的行话。
• It is important not to be overawed by the mathematical jargon.要紧的是不要被数学的术语所吓倒.