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Article: Medicare
- Article from:
- Gale Encyclopedia of U.S. Economic History
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2000 The Gale Group Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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MEDICARE
The Medicare program provides health and hospital insurance to disabled persons and those age 65 and older. It was first proposed by President Harry Truman (1945
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1953), but wasn't enacted as policy until President Lyndon Johnson (1963
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1969) included it in one of his Great Society proposals in 1965.
Effective since 1966, Medicare was first managed by the Social Security Administration. In 1977, its operations were transferred to the newly created Health Care Financing Administration, where it remains today. Unlike the social welfare program Medicaid, Medicare does not place an income requirement on individuals who receive its services. To be eligible for Medicare, ...