奥巴马总统每周电台演讲:总统强调改善医保法案为老年人谋求更多福利

Hi, everybody. Over the last few weeks, there's been a lot of talk about Medicare, with a lot of accusations¹ and misinformation flying around.

嗨，各位好，在过去的几个星期里，医保法案成为了人们争相谈论的话题，而夹杂在其中的各种指责声音和误导信息纷纷不胫而走。

So today I want to step back for a minute and share with you some actual facts and news about the program.

因此，今天我想花点时间在这里与大家分享关于这一计划的确切信息。

This week, we found out that, thanks to the health care law we passed, nearly 5.4 million seniors with Medicare have saved over $4.1 billion on prescription² drugs.

本周，我们发现，由于医疗保险法案的通过，将近540万拥有医保的老年人在处方药上节省共计41亿元。

That's an average of more than $700 per person.

均摊到每个人身上就是700多美元。

And this year alone, 18 million seniors with Medicare have taken advantage of preventive care benefits like mammograms or other cancer screenings that now come at no extra cost.

而仅今年一年，1800万名拥有医保的老年人享受到预防保健服务所带来的便利，比如乳房检查X线照片以及其他相关癌症扫描检查现在不需要支付额外费用。

That's progress. It means that seniors everywhere are getting the care they need for less.

这就是进步。这说明老人们能够无处不在以更小的支出享受到他们需要的医疗服务。

And if you have questions about what benefits you're entitled to, you can go towww.medicare.govto find out.

如果你对自己应得的医疗福利有所疑问，请登录www.medicare.gov这个网站获取相关信息。

This news is also a reminder³ of what's really at stake when we talk about the future of Medicare.

这也一进步也提醒着我们，当我们谈及医疗保险的未来时什么才是至关重要。

It's not about overheated rhetoric⁴ at election time.

这不是总统选战期间过分的花言巧语。

It's about a promise this country made to our seniors that says if you put in a lifetime of hard work, you shouldn't lose your home or your life savings⁵ just because you get sick.

这是我们国家对于老年人的承诺：如果你的一生都是在辛勤的工作，你不会权因一场大病就失去你的住所或毕生积蓄。

Over the last 47 years, millions of Americans have worked for that promise.

在过去的47年里，数以百万计的美国人为了这一承诺而奋斗。

They've earned it.

他们实至名归。

And for many seniors, the care they've gotten through Medicare has made all the difference in the world.

而对于很多老人而言，通过医保得到的医疗服务带给他们一个完全不一样的世界。

Growing up as the son of a single mother, I was raised with the help of my grandparents.

作为一名由单身母亲抚养成人的孩子，我的长大得益于祖父祖母的帮助。

I saw how important things like Medicare and Social Security were in their lives.

我也曾看到像医疗保障及社会保障这些福利对于老年人的生活是多么的重要。

And I saw the peace of mind it gave them.

而且我也看到了这些福利能够使他们的心灵得到慰藉。

That's why, as President, my goal has been to strengthen these programs now, and preserve them for future generations.

这就是为什么，身为总统，当下我的目标就是要巩固这些计划并为我们的子孙后代传承下去。

Because today's seniors deserve that same peace of mind.

因为当今世代的老人们也应该得到同样的心灵上的慰藉。

And the millions of Americans who are working hard right now deserve to know that the care they need will be available when they need it.

而且现在正在努力工作的数以百万计的美国人民也应该知道，他们所应得到的福利是在最需要的时候才会被给予的。

That's why, as part of the Affordable⁶ Care Act, we gave seniors deeper discounts on prescription drugs, and made sure preventive care like mammograms are free without a co-pay.

这也就是为什么，作为《负担得起医疗法案》的一部分，我们在处方药上为老人们提供更大的折扣，让乳房检查X线照片等预防性质的保健服务免费，再也不需额外支付额外费用。

We've extended the life of Medicare by almost a decade.

我们已经将医保法案的生命周期延长了将近10年。

And I've proposed reforms that will save Medicare money by getting rid of wasteful⁷ spending in the health care system and reining⁸ in insurance companies—reforms that won't touch your guaranteed Medicare benefits. Not by a single dime⁹.

我还提出了各种改革措施，通过消除医疗保险体系中的铺张浪费及约束保险公司节约医保资金，而这些改革肯定不会触及你们的医疗福利。一分钱都不会沾染。

Republicans in Congress have put forward a very different plan.

但是国会的共和党人们则提出了一套截然不同的方案。

They want to turn Medicare into a voucher¹⁰ program.

他们想把医保改成医疗代金券计划。

That means that instead of being guaranteed Medicare, seniors would get a voucher to buy insurance, but it wouldn't keep up with costs.

这将意味着老人们得不到有保障的医疗服务，而是要用代金券去购买保险，但这些优惠券跟不上医疗支出的增长。

As a result, one plan would force seniors to pay an extra $6,400 a year for the same benefits they get now.

因此，这一计划将强迫老人们每年多花6400美元来获得他们现在就已经享受到的同等福利待遇。

And it would effectively end Medicare as we know it.

而结果正如你我皆知的那样，这实际上就是对医保法案的终结。

I think our seniors deserve better.

我认为老人们应该获得更为悉心的照料。

I'm willing to work with anyone to keep improving the current system, but I refuse to do anything that undermines the basic idea of Medicare as a guarantee for seniors who get sick.

我真心希望同任何致力于改善这一现有体系的人合作，但我拒绝做任何有损医保基本理念的事情，因为医保是老人生病时的坚强保障后盾。

Here in America, we believe in keeping our promises—especially to our seniors who have put in a lifetime of hard work and deserve to enjoy their golden years.

在美国，我们信赖并恪守这一承诺，尤其是对老人们而言，他们将一生都是在辛勤工作，他们理应安享晚年的黄金岁月。

That's what Medicare is all about.

这就是医保所代表的。

That's why we need to strengthen and preserve it for future generations.

这也是为什么我们需要巩固并为我们的子孙后代保留这一体系的原因所在。

And as long as I have the honor of serving as your President, that's exactly what I'll do.

只要我还有幸担任你们的总统，我就将继续为之不懈努力。

Thanks, and have a great weekend.

谢谢大家，祝你们周末愉快。

1 accusations   

n.指责( accusation的名词复数 )；指控；控告；（被告发、控告的）罪名

参考例句：

• There were accusations of plagiarism. 曾有过关于剽窃的指控。
• He remained unruffled by their accusations. 对于他们的指控他处之泰然。

2 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。

3 reminder   

n.提醒物，纪念品；暗示，提示

参考例句：

• I have had another reminder from the library.我又收到图书馆的催还单。
• It always took a final reminder to get her to pay her share of the rent.总是得发给她一份最后催缴通知，她才付应该交的房租。

4 rhetoric   

n.修辞学，浮夸之言语

参考例句：

• Do you know something about rhetoric?你懂点修辞学吗？
• Behind all the rhetoric,his relations with the army are dangerously poised.在冠冕堂皇的言辞背后，他和军队的关系岌岌可危。

5 savings   

n.存款，储蓄

参考例句：

• I can't afford the vacation,for it would eat up my savings.我度不起假，那样会把我的积蓄用光的。
• By this time he had used up all his savings.到这时，他的存款已全部用完。

6 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。

7 wasteful   

adj.（造成）浪费的，挥霍的

参考例句：

• It is a shame to be so wasteful.这样浪费太可惜了。
• Duties have been reassigned to avoid wasteful duplication of work.为避免重复劳动浪费资源，任务已经重新分派。

8 reining   

勒缰绳使（马）停步( rein的现在分词 )； 驾驭； 严格控制； 加强管理

参考例句：

• "That's a fine bevy, Ma'm,'said Gerald gallantly, reining his horse alongside the carriage. "太太！好一窝漂亮的云雀呀！" 杰拉尔德殷勤地说，一面让自己的马告近塔尔顿的马车。
• I was a temperamental genius in need of reining in by stabler personalities. 我是个需要由更稳重的人降服住的神经质的天才。

9 dime   

n.（指美国、加拿大的钱币）一角

参考例句：

• A dime is a tenth of a dollar.一角银币是十分之一美元。
• The liberty torch is on the back of the dime.自由火炬在一角硬币的反面。

10 voucher   

n.收据；传票；凭单，凭证

参考例句：

• The government should run a voucher system.政府应该施行凭证制度。
• Whenever cash is paid out,a voucher or receipt should be obtained.无论何时只要支付现金，就必须要有一张凭据或者收据。