Great Plains Quality Innovation Network wishes Medicare and Medicaid a”Happy 50th Birthday” and looks forward to another 50 years!
Not that long ago, nearly half of all seniors in the United States were uninsured, living in fear that the high cost of healthcare could propel them into poverty. And not that long ago, people with disabilities, families with children, pregnant women and low-income, working Americans were unable to afford the medical care they needed to live healthy and productive lives.
The landscape of healthcare in America changed forever on July 31, 1965, when President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the landmark amendment to the Social Security Act, giving life to the Medicare and Medicaid programs.
Today Medicare and Medicaid cover nearly one out of every three Americans—well over 100 million people—and provide Americans with access to the quality and affordable healthcare that enables them to live healthy and productive lives.
So, we celebrate 50 years of this monumental change today.
Throughout the four-state Great Plains Quality Innovation Network, a total of 987,686 people have Medicare, which covers many types of preventive services, including well visits, nutrition therapy, cancer screenings, flu shots and diabetes screenings. Some of these services are free, and for others, individuals have a small co-payment or pay the deductible. Medicare also covers hospital stays, lab tests and critical supplies, like wheelchairs and prescription drugs.
The Medicaid program, which provides comprehensive coverage to eligible children, pregnant women, low-income adults and people living with disabilities, covers essential services like annual check-ups, care for new and expecting mothers and dental care for kids from low-income families.
“The programs covered within the Medicare and Medicaid programs are crucial for many individuals and families. This 50-year milestone anniversary provides the opportunity to recognize and remember the many ways these programs transformed the delivery of healthcare within our country. Though these programs started out as basic health programs for people who had no other access to health coverage, Medicare and Medicaid have helped millions get access to care they wouldn’t get otherwise,” says Tina Georgy, CEO with Great Plains Quality Innovation Network.
Please join us today in recognizing and celebrating this milestone.