The History Of Medicare And The Social Security Act

The Social Security Act of 1935, signed by Franklin D. Roosevelt, created a program that included social insurance programs, as well as public assistance. Both programs came about due to the depression and were created as part of the New Deal to benefit the citizens who needed assistance. While both programs were created to assist the public, each program had different eligibility requirements and accomplished different tasks.

Since its establishment in 1965 we have seen Medicare change as people’s needs change however being a federal program these changes do have an incredible amount of lag time. One of the first major changes to Medicare occurred in 1972 when President Nixon signed the Social Security Amendments of 1972 which extended coverage to individuals under age 65 with long-term disabilities, expanded benefits to include some chiropractic services and speech and physical therapy. During this time we see the American public growing tired of the Vietnam Conflict and lack of support and care for those returning Marines and soldiers with severe disabilities. As the protests escalate and the peace initiatives fail a key piece of legislation is signed showing government support and a willingness to extend health care benefits to this growing and vocal population of veterans (The Vietnam War, 1999). Also included in this Amendment is the encouragement of the use of Health Maintenance Organizations, President Nixon’s administration caught in the scandal of Watergate and pending hearings appeased the left and proposed the HMO Act, which Congress passed in 1973 (Phillips, 2003).

Prior to this shift, government involvement in health insurance services was minimal since it seemed to be under control by the non-profit sector. There didn’t seem to be an urgent need to control or universalize health care at the time. The government’s first interest in the health care industry sparked when employers began providing health care benefits as a competitive advantage for recruiting workers back into the workforce during World War II. To help cope with the rising unemployment rates, the government would offer tax incentives to employers providing these benefits. (add Quote)

In 1943, Senator Murray, Edward Wagner and Congress man Dingell introduced the United States National Health Insurance bill, the acting president at the time, Roosevelt, did not endorse the bill but was supportive(5). The National Health Insurance wasn’t a new concept. In 1883, Otto von Bismark introduced an obligatory health insurance program(6). Its’ success expanded the concept of social insurance in Europe and America. Without official endorsement by the president and with the war still going on, the Wagner-Murray-Dingell bill died in committee.

In 1930’s the Great Depression triggered a crises in the nation’s economic life. The Great Depression left millions of people unemployed and penniless. People consider leaving their farms behind to work in the cities factories to send money home. But as they grow into their new lifestyles the aging parent would stay behind to keep their dream of landowner ship. The seniors would be left in the hardest times of need living off the land. President Roosevelt’s New Deal was created to help jump-start the economy by providing unemployed workers with jobs and benefits packages for temporary relief. One of the many steps taken to alleviate the burden on the American people was the passing of Social Security Act on August 14, 1935 and its amendments by Congress and the President, Franklin D. Roosevelt.

In 1965, President Johnson introduced Medicare and Medicaid to provide health insurance to the elderly and low income children.

One of the reforms created through the New Deal that still exists today is Social Security. Social Security was established through the Social Security Act of 1935 by Franklin D. Roosevelt. It established a national pension fund, a public assistance program for dependent mothers and disabled people, an unemployment insurance system, as well as benefits for victims of industrial accidents (Social Security Act of 1935). Social Security is very beneficial regarding its ability to help those who need it, but it is also the largest federal program today, resulting in huge expenses. CNS News published an article regarding the spending of the Social Security Administration, and stated in the article is, “The Social Security Administration spent a total

Medicare has gone through many changes through the years since President Johnson signed the programs, including Medicaid into law in 1965. Almost ¾ of the senior population, over 65 were uninsured. Even before that President Truman was eager to start a national health insurance plan, in 1945. In 2003, President GW Bush added a prescription drug plan to Medicare. Even President Teddy Roosevelt proposed a national health insurance plan when he was running in 1912. In 1972, President Nixon signed a bill allowing people with long-term disabilities under the age of 65 and patients with ESRD (End Stage Renal Disease), to be covered. Over the years more services were accepted for Medicare coverage, including hospice and home health. 2010 brought good

The Social Security Act of 1935 [H.R. 7260] was a bill that was signed on August 14, 1935 by President, Franklin D. Roosevelt. The act was established to help the elderly, disabled, or families who have lost a parent or spouse. The Social Security Act also known as SSA, was created to provide disadvantaged populations federal benefits. The act has a total of eleven titles ranging from the topics of the elderly, unemployed, child welfare, public health, and the blind. This paper will uncover what the Society Security was and how it contributed to the society. This paper will also cover the historical background, such as what problems led to the creation of this policy and if it was fixed by creating this act.

However, the social security bill provided some funds to states for expansion through hospital construction, as well as child and maternal health services. After WW II the economy greatly expanded and American capitalism thrived, this was due to the growing family’s needs (Kaiser, 2009). President Truman picked up what Roosevelt had started and called the congress to pass a national health program to guarantee medical access to the American people (Kaiser, 2009). In 1945, President Truman was the first president to propose national health insurance (Medicare/Medicaid) but it was rejected by the congress at that time due to the racial segregation that existed among hospitals. In 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed Medicare and Medicaid into law as an amendment to the Social Security Act. Although Johnson’s creative health plan improved access to healthcare for many poor and elderly citizens, it fuelled a spiral increase of healthcare costs that has continued till this day (Kaiser, 2009).

In June of 1934 President Franklin D. Roosevelt proposed the idea of Social Security to congress. President Roosevelt wanted to secure the lives of the American men, women and children. He faced some opposition in the form of Alfred Mossman “Alf” Landon who was a republican politician and served

Medicaid and Medicare are two different government programs. Both programs were created in 1965 to help older and low-income families be able to buy their own private health insurance. These programs were part of President Lyndon Johnson’s “Great Society” plan, a commitment to helping meet the needs of individual health care. They are social insurance programs, which allow the financial load of patient’s illnesses to be shared by other healthy, sick, wealthy, and lower income individuals and families.

Welfare has been a safety net for many Americans, when the alternative for them is going without food and shelter. Over the years, the government has provided income for the unemployed, food assistance for the hungry, and health care for the poor. The federal government in the nineteenth century started to provide minimal benefits for the poor. During the twentieth century the United States federal government established a more substantial welfare system to help Americans when they most needed it. In 1996, welfare reform occurred under President Bill Clinton and it significantly changed the structure of welfare. Social Security has gone through significant change from FDR’s signing of the program into law to President George W. Bush’s

The current state of the social security system, while its history comes from a well-intentioned source, has been negatively impacted by many issues in recent years. “The Social Security program 's has many benefits: retirement and disability income, Medicare and Medicaid, death and survivor benefits. INVESTOPEDA These are important benefits to have for the wellbeing of the country as a whole. However due to demographic changes resulting in fewer workers paying into the program and more recipients taking benefits out, the available benefits are becoming scarce CITE. The rules of supply and demand are showing a

Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the original Social Security Act. It comprised of two services: a Social Security retirement benefit that applied only to workers, and a welfare program for the elderly called Old Age Assistance. Social