to be on (one’s) own

Welcome to English as a Second Language Podcast number 676: Selecting a Health Insurance Plan.

This is English as a Second Language Podcast episode 676. I’m your host, Dr. Jeff McQuillan, coming to you from the Center for Educational Development in beautiful Los Angeles, California.

Download our Learning Guide at eslpod.com. This episode is called “Selecting a Health Insurance Plan.” Let’s get started.

Mikhail: What’s all this?

Carol: It’s open enrollment 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 coverage for my pre-existing conditions and prescription drugs, and if not, what