Ex.2 Find Russian equivalents. Найдите русские эквиваленты.

the attention paid to the prophylaxis; the fight against various diseases; polyclinics for adult patients and for children; are for the treatment of particular diseases.

Ex.3 Answer the questions.Ответьте на вопросы.

1. What is the characteristic feature of health care in Russia?

2. Why is much attention paid to the health education of the population?

3. What is primary medical care provided by?

4. Is ambulance service free of charge in our country?

5. What are specialized hospitals for?

HEALTH CARE IN THE USA

Health care system in the USA exists on three levels: the level of the family doctor, the medical institution or hospital and the United States Public Health Service. Not many Americans seek medical help from private doctors.

A private doctor, they call him a family doctor, gives his patients regular examinations and inoculations. In case professional care is needed, the family doctor arranges for the patient to see a specialist or to go to a hospital. The family doctors´ receives pay directly from the patient. Most physicians have private practices. They make use of the hospital`s facilities whenever necessary. A family doctor either has his own private office or works with several other doctors in a so-called group practice.

Many Americans have no family doctor and they come directly to the hospital for all their medical needs. The hospital provides health care to the sick and injured. They have government-financed and private hospitals. The patients are admitted to hospitals or clinics staffed by consulting physicians, residents, interns and highly skilled nurses. The nursing staff is very important. Nurses and patients are in close contact throughout the patients` stay in the hospital. Social services are available to the patients and families regarding personal, emotional, and financial problems that may arise from continued illness or disabilities.

Most hospitals have the following major departments or units: surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics and general medicine. They may also have trauma and intensive care units, neurosurgical and renal care units, and a psychiatric unit. The emergency room (unit) is a very special area in the hospital. The emergency patients receive immediate attention.

The cost of medical care in country is very high. Two thirds of the population has private health insurance. Some people have health insurance, life insurance (financial assistance for the relatives in case of death), disability insurance and retirement benefits at their place of employment. Most employees and their families now pay more than 50 per cent of the costs of health insurance. The great cost of medical care in the country and a lot of people who could not pay for it forced the federal government to develop two health insurance programs – Medicaid and Medicare.

Medicaid, started in 1966, is a federal program providing free medical care for low-income people, the aged, the blind and for dependent children.

Medicare, started in 1967, is a health insurance program for the elderly and disabled. It provides free medical care aged Americans over 65, for those who in the past had the greatest medical expenses.

The chief scientific problems facing USA medicine are: heart disease and cancer. The chief causes of suffering and death today are cancer and cardiovascular disease, including hypertension, stroke and atherosclerosis. Also much medical research is done on illnesses of aging, disabilities caused by arthritis, mental illness, drug addiction, and genetic problems.

Words:

1. private doctor – частный врач

2. to inoculate - делать прививку

3. inoculation – прививка

4. consulting physician – врач-консультант

5. disability - нетрудоспособность, инвалидность

6. retirement - пенсия

7. stroke - инсульт

8. Medicaid - социальная правительственная программа, обеспечивающая бесплатное медицинское обслуживание беднякам и инвалидам.

9. Medicare-правительственная программа, предусматривающая частичную оплату медицинского обслуживания престарелым за счет страхования, остальную часть – за счет государства.

10. dependent children - несовершеннолетние дети

11. the aged - пожилые

12. the blind - слепые

13. the disabled - инвалиды