What is Medicare?
A: Medicare is a government national
health insurance program in the United
States, begun in 1965 under the
Social Security Administration (SSA) and now
administered by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
It primarily provides health insurance for what
Americans?
A: Americans aged 65 and older, and for some younger people with disability
status.
In 2018, according to the
2019 Medicare Trustees
Report, Medicare provided health insurance for how many people?
A: Over 59.9 million individuals—more than 52 million people aged 65 and
older and about 8 million younger people.
According to annual Medicare Trustees reports and
research by the government's MedPAC group, Medicare covers how much of
healthcare expenses of those enrolled?
A: About half.
Enrollees almost always cover most of the remaining
costs by doing what?
A: Taking out additional private insurance and/or by joining a public Part C
or Part D Medicare health plan.
In 2020, the US federal government spent how much on
Medicare?
A: $776.2 billion.
Medicare is funded by what?
A: A combination of a specific payroll tax, beneficiary premiums, and
surtaxes from beneficiaries, co-pays and deductibles, and general U.S.
Treasury revenue.
Medicare is divided into what four Parts?
A: A, B, C and D.
What does part A cover?
A: Hospital (inpatient, formally admitted only), skilled nursing (only after
being formally admitted to a hospital for three days and not for custodial
care), and hospice services.
What does part B cover?
A: Outpatient services including some providers' services while inpatient at
a hospital, outpatient hospital charges, most provider office visits even if
the office is "in a hospital", and most professionally administered
prescription drugs.
Part C is an alternative called Managed Medicare or
Medicare Advantage, which allows patients to do what?
A: To choose health plans with at least the same service coverage as Parts A
and B (and most often more), often the benefits of Part D, and always an
annual out-of-pocket expense limit which A and B lack.
Before signing up for Part C, a beneficiary must enroll
in what?
A: Parts A and B.
Part D covers what?
A: Mostly self-administered prescription drugs.
Originally, the name "Medicare" in the United States
referred to a program providing medical care for whom?
A: Families of people serving in the military as part of the Dependents'
Medical Care Act, which was passed in 1956.
President Dwight D. Eisenhower held the first White
House Conference on Aging in January 1961, in which what was proposed?
A: Creating a health care program for social security beneficiaries.
In July 1965, under the leadership of President Lyndon
Johnson, Congress enacted what?
A: Medicare under Title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide health
insurance to people age 65 and older, regardless of income or medical
history.
When did Johnson sign the Social Security Amendments of
1965 into law?
A: On July 30, 1965, at the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library in
Independence, Missouri.
Who became the first recipients of the program?
A: Former President Harry S. Truman and his wife, former First Lady Bess
Truman.
Before Medicare was created, what percentage of people
over the age of 65 had health insurance?
A: 60%.
At the time, older adults paid how much for health
insurance compared to younger people?
A: Three times.
Many of this group (about 20% of the total in
2015)
became "dual eligible" for what?
A: Both Medicare and Medicaid with the passing of the law.
In 1966, Medicare spurred the racial integration of
thousands of waiting rooms, hospital floors, and physician practices by
doing what?
A: By making payments to health care providers conditional on
desegregation.
Since 1965, the program's provisions have expanded to
include what benefits?
A: For speech, physical, and chiropractic therapy in.
When did Medicare add the option of payments to health
maintenance organizations?
A: In the 1970s.
The government added hospice benefits to aid elderly
people on a temporary basis in what year?
A: 1982 and made it permanent in 1984.
Congress further expanded Medicare in 2001 to cover
younger people with what?
A: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, or
Lou Gehrig's
disease).
