| The costs of home medical care, hospital visits, and | | | | The Medicare Program is in large part funded by |
| prescription drugs can add up fast. If you are without | | | | taxes that are taken from working American's |
| health insurance and do not work than these costs | | | | paychecks. The employer is responsible for matching |
| can be even more stifling. For those that live in the | | | | the amount that is taken from each of their employees |
| United States, there are several social programs | | | | paychecks, which comes to 2.9% total. Those that are |
| offered by the Government and private companies | | | | self employed are responsible for the whole 2.9%. In |
| that can help you pay these costs. One service | | | | 2004 the United States government spent about $257 |
| offered by the US Government is Medicare. Medicare | | | | billion on Medicare. This figure has continuously grown, |
| is a state funded insurance program that is geared | | | | and by 2007 Medicare spending was nearly double at |
| towards helping Americans with their medical bills. | | | | $440 billion. This figure represented about 15% of all |
| President Lyndon Johnson signed the Medicare bill in | | | | Federal Government spending in 2007. |
| July of 1965 as part of an amendment to the Social | | | | Medicare provides health coverage to millions of |
| Security program. The Social Security Program was | | | | Americans every year, which might otherwise not be |
| signed into law in 1935 and came at a time when the | | | | able to afford it. Approximately 43 million Americans |
| United States was trying to bounce back from the | | | | used Medicare services in 2007, and by 2031 this |
| Great Depression. Its purpose was to provide a | | | | number is expected to nearly double. In order to be |
| means of limiting the effects of poverty, | | | | eligible for Medicare you must meet several criteria. |
| unemployment, old age, widows, and fatherless children | | | | One of the key requirements is citizenship; you must |
| on the American people. This was in many ways a | | | | have been a permanent legal resident for at least 5 |
| landmark act by President Roosevelt, because by | | | | years to qualify. Those who are over 65 are |
| signing the Social Security Act, he was in effect the | | | | automatically covered by Medicare. |
| first president to publicly endorse protection for the | | | | If you are under 65 and disabled, then you may also |
| elderly. | | | | be eligible for Medicare. Those under 65 must be |
| Medicare came as part of several changes to the | | | | disabled and have been receiving Social Security |
| Social Security program in the 1960's, and it greatly | | | | benefits or Railroad Retirement Board benefits for at |
| changed the program. Many Americans of the War | | | | least 2 years to qualify for Medicare. Medicare also |
| Generation were nearing retirement age and poverty | | | | covers those on dialysis for permanent kidney failure, |
| levels had been growing steadily. Several amendments | | | | people who need kidney transplants, or people who |
| were introduced to the Social Security Act to combat | | | | have Lou Gehrig's disease. |
| these problems. The Medicare Amendment was | | | | Medicare provides a valuable service to many |
| introduced because Johnson wanted to remove some | | | | Americans who may otherwise be unable to afford |
| of the burden of from people whose life savings were | | | | their medical bills. It helps millions of Americans each |
| being consumed by medical bills, as well as the costs | | | | year and many could not survive without it. |
| of paying for the care of elderly parents. | | | | |