Passage 1

　　Americans are proud of the medical _________ made in this country. Medical scientists have found cures and _______ for many diseases. They have learned a great deal about cancer and heart disease. Many lives have been saved. American _______ are the most modern and best-equipped medical _________ in the world. But this degree of __________ has been expensive.

　　Medical care in the United States is expensive. There is no national health plan for Americans. But there are many programs _________ for the purpose. Many people have health plans at the companies where they work. Under these plans, the company pays a fixed sum of money regularly into a fund. Then when the _________ needs medical help, he can use money from the fund to pay for it.

　　Other people have health insurance. ___________________________________________. In some medical plans, the insurance company is also the medical institution. People regularly pay the hospital directly. ______________________________________________________.

　　The government has health insurance programs for older people, poor people and those with long term illness. ____________________________________________________________.