A brief history:
In 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed Medicare into law. At this time Medicare included Part A (Hospital Insurance) and Part B (Medical Insurance). These are often referred to as “Original Medicare.” Over the years, there have been many changes to Medicare:
- In 1972, Medicare was expanded to cover people with disabilities, and people with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) requiring dialysis or kidney transplants.
- In 1980, Medicare Supplement Plans (also known as Medigap plans) were implemented to cover gaps in Medicare insurance. They were later standardized into ten plans in 1992 with high deductible plans added in later years.
- In 2003, the Medicare Prescription Drug Improvement and Modernization Act (MMA) made significant changes to Medicare. Private health plans approved by Medicare became known as Medicare Advantage Plans. These plans are sometimes called "Part C" plans.
- In 2006, the MMA also expanded Medicare to include an optional prescription drug benefit, known as “Part D.”
As of April 2024, 67.3M people are enrolled in Medicare.
Check out the below infographic to guide you through the different parts of Medicare and supplemental plans:
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Learn More:
CMS’ program history Medicare & Medicaid | CMS.Gov
A brief history of Medicare in America | MedicareResources.Org
Medicare Monthly Enrollment | Data.CMS.GOV
Last Revised August 8th, 2024