Medicare Started in 1965

President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the bill that led to Medicare on July 30, 1965.

It was signed into law alongside Medicaid by Johnson as part of the Social Security Amendments of 1965 and was enacted under Title XVIII of the Social Security Act. 

At first, Medicare contained only Parts A and B and was for those 65 or older. However, today Medicare contains Part C and D, and more groups are eligible.

Also, while the program began under the Social Security Administration (SSA), it is now administered by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

Citation: CMS’ program history Medicare & Medicaid. CMS.Gov.

Thomas DeMichele

Thomas DeMichele

Thomas DeMichele has worked in the online health insurance information space for over a decade. His works include ObamaCareFacts.com, which has been used by nearly 40 million Americans since 2012 to learn about healthcare and health insurance.

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