Medicare, launched in 1966, was a landmark advancement in health care for the United States. The staff at Susan Polk Insurance, Inc., providing insurance plans for Medicare in San Luis Obispo, would like the public to know more about the history of Medicare.
A little known fact today is that “Medicare” was originally the “Dependents’ Medical Care Act,” that was passed in 1956 to provide medical care for families of military personnel. Four years later, in 1961, President Dwight D. Eisenhower held the first White House Conference on Aging during which a health care program for social security beneficiaries was proposed. Congress enacted Medicare and Medicaid in July 1965 under Title XVIII of the Social Security Act. President Lyndon Johnson signed the bill into law on July 30, 1965. The bill provided health insurance to people age 65 and older regardless of income or medical history. ... |