It seems amazing to think that, only two generations ago, Americans had no safety net for their health concerns in their later years. When you think about it…how did seniors survive financially?
Well, thankfully, Congress did think about it. And on July 30, 1965, they passed legislation enacting these two vital safety-net programs.
These programs have helped millions of Americans, especially women. And some think they’re actually the genesis of the more recent Affordable Care Act.
Medicaid was recently expanded to cover low-income people who previously couldn’t qualify. However, states aren’t forced to accept this expansion, and twenty of them have turned it down – including Florida – leaving millions uninsured. These people will suffer immensely as a result of not having insurance. They’ll be denied both routine care and care for specific conditions. And many of them will die needlessly.
Nonetheless, we can’t deny that Medicaid has changed the lives of many people. It now covers nearly 70 million Americans, many of whom are seniors. And it covers minorities and the poor, as well.
Medicaid pays for 40 percent of all babies born in the U.S. It provides family-planning services to millions of low income people. And it pays 61% of the long-term-care costs for seniors.
Medicaid isn’t easy to understand, partially because it’s run and partially-funded by the states, each with its own regulations.
Despite the problems, however – including the fear of Social Security and Medicare running out of money – Medicare, Medicaid, and the Affordable Care Act are providing health care for millions. In so doing, they’ve had a profound impact on our nation.
So let’s all wish a very Happy 50th Birthday to Medicare and Medicaid!
And let’s all wish, too, that we have the vision and the strength to make sure they’re both around at least another 50 years!
