Medicare
What is Medicare?
Medicare was created in 1965 when people over 65 found it virtually impossible to get private health insurance coverage. Medicare has made access to health care a universal right for Americans once they reach age 65. This has helped improve the health and longevity of older Americans.
Related Legislation
Social Secruity
Social Security Amendments of 1965 (PL 89-97)
- Established Medicare Benefits
- Enacted July 30, 1965
Social Security Amendments of 1972 (PL 92-603)
- Expanded coverage to include individuals under the age of 65 with long-term disabilities and individuals with end-stage renal disease
- Enacted October 30, 1972
Omnibus Reconciliation Act of 1980
- Expanded home health services and brought Medigap - or Medicare supplement insurance - under federal oversight.
- Enacted July 21, 1980
The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (COBRA)
- Amended the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to give some employees the ability to continue health insurance coverage after leaving employment
- Enacted April 7, 1986
Medicare Catastrophic Coverage Act of 1988 (PL 100-360)
- Added a true limit to the Medicare's total out-of-pocket expenses for Part A and Part B, along with a limited prescription drug benefit.
- Repealed through Medicare Catastrophic Coverage Repeal Act of 1989
Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act (PL 108-173)
- Added an optional prescription drug benefit known as Part D, which is provided only by private insurers.
- Enacted December 8, 2003
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010
- Reform provisions intended to contain Medicare costs while increasing revenue, improving and streamlining its delivery systems, and increasing services to the program.
- Enacted March 23, 2010