Why do Republicans oppose the law so vehemently?

The Republican Party and conservative think-tanks have fought the law since Mr Obama first proposed it in 2009 at the start of his first term in office.

The law passed in 2010 after a bitter parliamentary fight in Congress, with Republicans unanimously opposed. Then Republicans contested the law in the courts, a battle that ended in June 2012 when the US Supreme Court declared it constitutional.

It was a central issue in the 2012 presidential election. Republican candidate Mitt Romney vowed to push for its repeal. Mr. Obama pledged to defend the law, and easily won re-election.

The law's success depends in large part on co-operation from state governments, but Republicans in state capitals across the country have sought to undermine it in various ways.

And in autumn 2013, the Republican Party refused to pass a budget to fund the operations of the US government unless Democrats agreed to delay the law or eliminate its funding. When Mr. Obama and the Democrats who control the Senate refused, the government shut down.

Republicans say the law imposes too many costs on business, with many describing it as a "job-killer". They have also decried it as an unwarranted intrusion into the affairs of private businesses and individuals.

But Democrats and some analysts say Republicans are motivated by politics - they want to undermine Mr. Obama's signature domestic political achievement in order to weaken him.

When does it take effect?

The law takes effect in several stages:

2010: Insurers were banned from denying coverage to children with pre-existing conditions, adults under 26 were allowed to remain on their parents' plans, and insurers were barred from cancelling coverage in some circumstances. Insurers were forbidden from imposing lifetime limits of health coverage.

2011: The law expanded access to preventative health services, and offered drug discounts for people in the Medicare program for pensioners.

2012: Provisions to encourage healthcare providers to lower costs took effect.

October 2013: Consumer health insurance marketplaces go online.

2014: People without health coverage from the government or their employers will be required to purchase it. The government Medicaid health program for the poor will be expanded to cover more people, tax credits will subsidize individuals' and families' purchase of health coverage, and insurers will be barred from denying coverage to people with pre-existing health conditions.

I. Vocabulary:

Patient Protection and Affordable – Закон о защите пациентов и доступном

Health Care Law, Obamacare (разг.) медицинском обслуживании

provision – положение

take effect – вступать в силу

overhaul of the healthcare system – реформа системы здравоохранения

extend health insurance to… – распространить медицинское страхование на …

health coverage – страховое покрытие медицинских расходов

purchase health insurance – покупать медицинскую страховку

offer subsidies, subsidise - предлагать субсидии, субсидировать

compliance – соблюдение (законов, правил)

marketplace – рынок, рыночная площадка

ban

bar запрещать

forbid

deny health coverage to people with – отказывать в медицинском страховании pre-existing health conditions лицам, имеющим проблемы со здоровьем

expand eligibility for … – расширить право на …

government-run Medicaid programme – правительственная программа бесплатной медицинской помощи неимущим

slow the growth of US health insurance – замедлить рост стоимости медицинского страхования в США

vehemently oppose smth – резко возражать, выступать против ч-л

think tank – мозговой центр

contest a law in courts - оспаривать закон в судах

declare a law constitutional – объявить закон, соответствующим конституции

repeal a law – аннулировать, отменить закон

state government – правительство штата

pass a budget – одобрить, принять бюджет

fund; funding – финансировать; финансирование

impose costs on business – налагать расходы на предпринимателей

decry – осуждать, порицать

unwarranted intrusion – неоправданное вмешательство

signature achievement – главное, важнейшее достижение

cancel coverage - отменять медицинскую страховку

impose lifetime limits – вводить ограничения по срокам продолжительности жизни

preventative health services – профилактические медицинские услуги

offer drug discounts – предлагать скидки на лекарства

Medicare – программа медицинской помощи лицам старше 65 лет

tax credits – налоговые льготы

II. Answer the following questions using as many vocabulary

items as possible:

1. What is the aim of President Obama’s healthcare reform law?

2. What are its main provisions?

3. Why do Republicans oppose the law?

4. When does it take effect?

III. Give a short talk on the new law to reform US healthcare. Follow the latest developments in the attempts to make it work.

US DEBT CEILING

The debt ceiling is a cap on the total amount the US government can borrow set by US lawmakers.

The current debt limit of $16.699 trillion was reached in May. Since then the US Treasury has been using what are called extraordinary measures to keep paying the bills.

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