VOA标准英语2013--美国卫生部长向公众道歉

 

Health Secretary Apologizes as Health Care Law Draws More Heat 美国卫生部长向公众道歉

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has apologized to the American people for the problems preventing many from signing up for health insurance coverage², as President Barack Obama said Wednesday the health care law is still the "strongest protector" for health care consumers. Republicans on the House Energy and Commerce Committee accused the administration of deceiving Americans, criticizing the rollout on everything from website flaws to increased premiums³. 

Kathleen Sebelius, the public face of the government's online health care exchange woes⁴, told Americans she is sorry for the troubled launch of the so-called Obamacare website when testifying before a congressional panel Wednesday.

"You deserve better. I apologize. I’m accountable to you for fixing these problems," said Sebelius.

Cases abound⁵ of Americans struggling with the new system, such as John Tankersley, who has spent three weeks trying to sign up for a health care plan on the website, and Robert Schlora, who's also been trying to get a health care plan since October 1.

"I really have no idea whether or not I'll be offered a better plan, whether or not the government will help me subsidize it," said Schlora.

With recent elements of his health care program under attack, President Obama has defended its promise.

"Today that promise means that every plan in the marketplace covers a core set of minimum benefits like maternity⁶ care and preventive care and mental health care and prescription⁷ drug benefits and hospitalization, and they can't use allergies⁸ or pregnancy⁹ or a sports injury or the fact that you're a woman to charge you more," said Obama.

The president promised millions of uninsured Americans that they could purchase comprehensive health insurance plans at affordable¹⁰ rates.

"Nearly half of all single, uninsured 18-34 year-olds may be able to buy insurance for 50 bucks¹¹ a month or less, less than your cell phone bill, less than your cable bill," said Obama.

However, back on Capitol Hill, Republican lawmakers told Sebelius their constituents¹² are not happy with the changes, which have led to health insurance companies raising costs on some plans and cancelling others.

"The result is, this person from Cove¹, Oregon said 'I was paying $600 per month for a $3,000 deductible. Now it costs me $800 a month for a $5,000 deductible,'" said Greg Walden, a Republican representing Oregon’s 2nd district.

"Many of my constituents are reaching out to me, those with individual policies, and they are saying to me that 'my rates are going up 400 percent. My rates are going up 127 percent,'" related Renee Ellmers, a Republican representative for North Carolina.

The administration is promising¹³ frustrated¹⁴ Americans that the website’s problems will be fixed¹⁵ by late November. Officials say the most important thing is that millions of uninsured Americans will now have access to affordable health care. 

1 cove   

n.小海湾，小峡谷

参考例句：

• The shore line is wooded,olive-green,a pristine cove.岸边一带林木蓊郁，嫩绿一片，好一个山外的小海湾。
• I saw two children were playing in a cove.我看到两个小孩正在一个小海湾里玩耍。

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 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》

4 woes   

困境( woe的名词复数 )； 悲伤； 我好苦哇； 某人就要倒霉

参考例句：

• Thanks for listening to my woes. 谢谢您听我诉说不幸的遭遇。
• She has cried the blues about its financial woes. 对于经济的困难她叫苦不迭。

5 abound   

vi.大量存在；(in，with)充满，富于

参考例句：

• Oranges abound here all the year round.这里一年到头都有很多橙子。
• But problems abound in the management of State-owned companies.但是在国有企业的管理中仍然存在不少问题。

6 maternity   

n.母性，母道，妇产科病房；adj.孕妇的，母性的

参考例句：

• Women workers are entitled to maternity leave with full pay.女工产假期间工资照发。
• Trainee nurses have to work for some weeks in maternity.受训的护士必须在产科病房工作数周。

7 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。

8 allergies   

n.[医]过敏症；[口]厌恶，反感；（对食物、花粉、虫咬等的）过敏症( allergy的名词复数 )；变态反应，变应性

参考例句：

• Food allergies can result in an enormous variety of different symptoms. 食物过敏会引发很多不同的症状。 来自辞典例句
• Let us, however, examine one of the most common allergies; hayfever. 现在让我们来看看最常见的变态反应的一种--枯草热。 来自辞典例句

9 pregnancy   

n.怀孕，怀孕期

参考例句：

• Early pregnancy is often accompanied by nausea.怀孕早期常有恶心的现象。
• Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage.怀孕期吸烟会增加流产的危险。

10 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。

11 bucks   

n.雄鹿( buck的名词复数 )；钱；（英国十九世纪初的）花花公子；（用于某些表达方式）责任v.（马等）猛然弓背跃起( buck的第三人称单数 )；抵制；猛然震荡；马等尥起后蹄跳跃

参考例句：

• They cost ten bucks. 这些值十元钱。
• They are hunting for bucks. 他们正在猎雄兔。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 constituents   

n.选民( constituent的名词复数 )；成分；构成部分；要素

参考例句：

• She has the full support of her constituents. 她得到本区选民的全力支持。
• Hydrogen and oxygen are the constituents of water. 氢和氧是水的主要成分。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

14 frustrated   

adj.挫败的，失意的，泄气的v.使不成功( frustrate的过去式和过去分词 )；挫败；使受挫折；令人沮丧

参考例句：

• It's very easy to get frustrated in this job. 这个工作很容易令人懊恼。
• The bad weather frustrated all our hopes of going out. 恶劣的天气破坏了我们出行的愿望。 来自《简明英汉词典》

15 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。