Ryan Bird writes that he's Canadian, so he's used to the ideal and the reality of government--provided universal health care. Now Bird lives in Taiwan, where he loves the system:
There are no waiting lines, as one can visit a specialist without a recommendation. There is one billing department, so bureaucracy is minimal. Everything is on smart cards, so the doctor knows what's up with you and the government keeps an eye out for abuse (privacy concerns, but Taiwanese give away information about themselves all the time, and they prefer the benefits). And the fact no one will ever go broke for health care, as a visit to any doctor never costs more than $6US. Stop at the dentist to get your wisdom teeth removed? $3US. Popping into a dermatologist to get a growth removed? $3US. Need a hearing test to make sure that your ears are OK after the fireworks festival? $3US. (I include these examples because they are actual costs that I've had or a friend has had.)
bureaucracy [bjuә'rɔkrәsi] : n. 官僚, 官僚作風, 官僚機構
minimal ['minimәl] : adj. 最小的, 最小限度的
minimum ['minimәm] : adj. 最小的, 最低的 n. 最小值, 最小化
dermatologist [ˏdә:mә'tɔlәdʒist] : n. 皮膚學者, 皮膚科醫生
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