ESL Podcast 676 – Selecting a Health Insurance Plan

　　Mikhail: What’s all this?
Carol: It’s open enrollment¹ at my company and I’m thinking of switching health plans. I have an HMO right now and I’m thinking of switching to a PPO. That way, I can see doctors outside of my current network and still be covered.
Mikhail: I’m so glad I don’t have to worry about things like that. I’m still a dependent on my mother’s plan, at least for another year.
Carol: Lucky you. Look at all of this literature! How am I supposed to make heads or tails of this to compare one plan with another?
Mikhail: Wow, yeah, that’s really confusing.
Carol: Tell me about it. I want to know if these new plans have coverage² for my pre-existing conditions and prescription³ drugs, and if not, what the out-of-pocket costs would be.
Mikhail: Don’t look at me.
Carol: And how am I supposed to figure out what my copay and deductible would be?
Mikhail: You’re on your own on this one. It’s all Greek to me!
Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

1 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。

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 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。