【美国总统电台演说】2006-05-06

 

THE PRESIDENT: Good morning.

Today I want to talk with you about the new Medicare prescription¹ drug coverage² that went into effect at the start of this year. Everyone on Medicare is eligible³ for this new coverage, but the enrollment⁵ deadline of May 15th is just over a week away. For those of you with Medicare who have not yet signed up, it is important for you to review your options and choose a plan. By enrolling⁶ before the deadline, you can ensure the lowest possible premiums⁸ and start saving on your prescription drug bills.

Many of you have already made the wise decision to enroll⁴. Since the new coverage went into effect, more than 30 million Americans now have prescription drug coverage through the Medicare program, and more are enrolling each week. Recent surveys show that the vast majority of seniors are satisfied with the program, and for good reason.

Competition in the prescription drug market has been stronger than expected, and costs for seniors are lower than expected. The average premium⁷ that seniors pay is a third less than had been expected -- just $25 per month, instead of $37 per month. The typical person with Medicare who previously⁹ had no drug coverage will now spend about half of what he or she used to spend on prescription drugs, saving an average of $1,100 per year.

Low-income seniors receive extra help. For them, Medicare will now cover, on average, more than 95 percent of the costs of their prescription drugs. Thanks to this new coverage, America's seniors are now getting the modern medicine they need, at prices they can afford.

Prescription drug coverage under Medicare is also giving our seniors more and better choices for their health care. Instead of having to accept a "one size fits all" plan, seniors are now choosing from a variety of drug plans, and they're finding the one that best fits their needs. Most seniors are able to choose their plans that have low premiums, low or no deductibles, fixed¹⁰ co-payments for most drugs, and affordable¹¹ coverage to fill in coverage gaps.

Medicare prescription drug coverage is a great deal for seniors. So today, I am encouraging those of you who still have not enrolled¹² to take a look at your options and sign up before the May 15th deadline in order to ensure the lowest premiums. Even if you do not have significant drug expenses now, you should consider joining a Medicare drug plan to protect yourself against high prescription drug bills down the road.

There are many ways you can get help to choose a drug plan and enroll. You can ask your doctor or pharmacist for help. You can speak with a Medicare counselor¹³ 24 hours a day at 1-800-MEDICARE. You can enroll online by visiting the official Medicare website at Medicare.gov. If you need help enrolling, citizens' groups like AARP and NAACP, faith-based organizations, health professionals, and pharmacies¹⁴ are working to answer questions. Between now and May 15th, events will be held across the country to answer your questions and help you enroll for the new drug coverage. And if you have family or friends on Medicare, you can help too. Helping¹⁵ can be as simple as showing an older neighbor how to fill out a form, helping a senior use the Internet, or making a call for your mom or dad.

I was proud to sign Medicare prescription drug coverage into law. Because we acted, America now has a Medicare system to fit the needs of the 21st century, and millions of American seniors and persons with disabilities are now saving a lot of money and receiving the modern health care they deserve. Over the coming days, we will continue working to make sure that everyone with Medicare has a chance to save money and enjoy the peace of mind that this new drug coverage brings.

Thank you for listening.

END

 

1 prescription   

n.处方，开药；指示，规定

参考例句：

• The physician made a prescription against sea- sickness for him.医生给他开了个治晕船的药方。
• The drug is available on prescription only.这种药只能凭处方购买。

2 coverage   

n.报导，保险范围，保险额，范围，覆盖

参考例句：

• There's little coverage of foreign news in the newspaper.报纸上几乎没有国外新闻报道。
• This is an insurance policy with extensive coverage.这是一项承保范围广泛的保险。

3 eligible   

adj.有条件被选中的；(尤指婚姻等)合适(意)的

参考例句：

• He is an eligible young man.他是一个合格的年轻人。
• Helen married an eligible bachelor.海伦嫁给了一个中意的单身汉。

4 enroll   

v.招收；登记；入学；参军；成为会员（英)enrol

参考例句：

• I should like to enroll all my children in the swimming class.我愿意让我的孩子们都参加游泳班。
• They enroll him as a member of the club.他们吸收他为俱乐部会员。

5 enrollment   

n.注册或登记的人数；登记

参考例句：

• You will be given a reading list at enrollment.注册时你会收到一份阅读书目。
• I just got the enrollment notice from Fudan University.我刚刚接到复旦大学的入学通知书。

6 enrolling   

v.招收( enrol的现在分词 )；吸收；入学；加入；[亦作enrol]( enroll的现在分词 )；登记，招收，使入伍（或入会、入学等），参加，成为成员；记入名册；卷起，包起

参考例句：

• They lashed out at the university enrolling system. 他们猛烈抨击大学的招生制度。 来自辞典例句
• You're enrolling in a country club, Billy. 你是注册加入乡村俱乐部了，比利。 来自辞典例句

7 premium   

n.加付款；赠品；adj.高级的；售价高的

参考例句：

• You have to pay a premium for express delivery.寄快递你得付额外费用。
• Fresh water was at a premium after the reservoir was contaminated.在水库被污染之后，清水便因稀而贵了。

8 premiums   

n.费用( premium的名词复数 )；保险费；额外费用；（商品定价、贷款利息等以外的）加价

参考例句：

• He paid premiums on his life insurance last year. 他去年付了人寿保险费。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• Moves are afoot to increase car insurance premiums. 现正在酝酿提高汽车的保险费。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

10 fixed   

adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的

参考例句：

• Have you two fixed on a date for the wedding yet?你们俩选定婚期了吗？
• Once the aim is fixed,we should not change it arbitrarily.目标一旦确定，我们就不应该随意改变。

11 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。

12 enrolled   

adj.入学登记了的v.[亦作enrol]( enroll的过去式和过去分词 )；登记，招收，使入伍（或入会、入学等），参加，成为成员；记入名册；卷起，包起

参考例句：

• They have been studying hard from the moment they enrolled. 从入学时起，他们就一直努力学习。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He enrolled with an employment agency for a teaching position. 他在职业介绍所登了记以谋求一个教师的职位。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 counselor   

n.顾问，法律顾问

参考例句：

• The counselor gave us some disinterested advice.顾问给了我们一些无私的忠告。
• Chinese commercial counselor's office in foreign countries.中国驻国外商务参赞处。

14 pharmacies   

药店

参考例句：

• Still, 32 percent of the pharmacies filled the prescriptions. 但仍然有32%的药剂师配发了这两张药方。 来自互联网
• Chinese herbal pharmacies, and traditional massage therapists in the Vancouver telephone book. 中药店，和传统的按摩师在温哥华的电话簿里。 来自互联网

15 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。