Let's Celebrate Medicare's BD of 52 Years By Protecting It

Let’s Celebrate Medicare’s Birthday of 52 Years By Protecting It

On July 30th the Medicare program celebrated its 52nd birthday as a cornerstone of retirement security in America.

When President Johnson signed Medicare and Medicaid into law in 1965, growing older often meant poverty and illness. Only half of our nation’s seniors had health insurance. While many retirees received health coverage through unions, the millions of seniors paying out of pocket faced premiums as much as three times what younger workers paid. Insurance was seen as a luxury that many seniors simply couldn’t afford.

For millions of uninsured seniors, an illness could mean being thrust into poverty or going without treatment altogether. Around one in three seniors lived out their older years in poverty, and many were forced to lean on friends and family to provide care and financial support during times of illness.

Today, Medicare and Medicaid find themselves under attack. Politicians in Washington like House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI), Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price and President Donald Trump are pushing to dismantle the Medicare program and roll back the clock. The support and passage of the American Health Care Act (Trumpcare) in the House, an opening attack, would decimate Medicaid and raid three years of solvency from the Medicare trust fund.

This summer, the Alliance for Retired Americans, along with affiliates, is celebrating Medicare’s 52nd birthday with grassroots events all across the country. Please join us in celebrating Medicare’s track record of success, and together we will work to make sure it’s around for 52 more.

Robert Roach, Jr. is president of the Alliance for Retired Americans.  He was previously General Secretary‐Treasurer of the IAMAW.  For more information, visit www.retiredamericans.org.