Medicare (United States)

The Medicare Program is a set of amendments to Social Security, first passed in 1965, that provide health insurance for the elderly[?].

Nowadays, generally, Medicare is available for people age 65 or older, younger people with disabilities and people with End Stage Renal Disease (permanent kidney failure requiring dialysis or transplant). Medicare has two parts, Part A (Hospital Insurance) and Part B (Medicare Insurance, helps cover doctors' services, outpatient hospital care, and some other medical services that Part A does not cover).

Today (2003), Medicare provides health care coverage for 40 million Americans. Enrollment is expected to reach 77 million by 2031, when the Baby Boom generation is fully enrolled.

It is administered by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) (formerly the Health Care Financing Administration) in the United States Department of Health and Human Services.

Legislation

• 1960 PL 86-778 Social Security Amendments (Kerr-Mill aid)
• 1965 PL 89-97 Medicare
• 1988 PL 100-360 Medicare Catastrophic Coverage Act

See also:

• Medicaid