An overview of Medicare
- Collection:
- Health Policy and Services Research
- Series Title(s):
- Issue brief (Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation)
- Contributor(s):
- Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, issuing body.
- Publication:
- Menlo Park, CA : Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, November 2017
- Language(s):
- English
- Format:
- Text
- Subject(s):
- Medicare -- organization & administration Medicare -- statistics & numerical data Financing, Personal Forecasting Health Care Reform Insurance Coverage -- statistics & numerical data Medicare -- trends Humans United States
- Genre(s):
- Technical Report
- Abstract:
- Medicare is the federal health insurance program created in 1965 for people ages 65 and over, regardless of income, medical history, or health status. The program was expanded in 1972 to cover people under age 65 with permanent disabilities. Today, Medicare plays a key role in providing health and financial security to 59 million older people and younger people with disabilities. The program helps to pay for many medical care services, including hospitalizations, physician visits, and prescription drugs, along with post-acute care, skilled nursing facility care, home health care, hospice care, and preventive services. Medicare spending accounted for 15 percent of total federal spending in 2016 and 20 percent of total national health spending in 2015. Most people ages 65 and over are entitled to Medicare Part A if they or their spouse are eligible for Social Security payments and have paid payroll taxes for 10 or more years. People under age 65 who receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) payments generally become eligible for Medicare after a two-year waiting period, while those diagnosed with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) become eligible for Medicare with no waiting period.
- Copyright:
- Reproduced with permission of the copyright holder. Further use of the material is subject to CC BY license. (More information)
- Extent:
- 1 online resource (1 PDF file (5 pages))
- Illustrations:
- Illustrations
- NLM Unique ID:
- 101727517 (See catalog record)
- Permanent Link:
- http://resource.nlm.nih.gov/101727517