Difference between revisions of "Medicare"
| Line 13: | Line 13: | ||
Former Democratic Sen. John Breaux made a proposal which supports raising the Medicare eligibility age. [http://www.factcheck.org/overspiced_louisiana_gumbo.html] | Former Democratic Sen. John Breaux made a proposal which supports raising the Medicare eligibility age. [http://www.factcheck.org/overspiced_louisiana_gumbo.html] | ||
| − | Medicare accounts for more than one-fifth of all health spending in the U.S.. Its costs per beneficiary, about $12,000 in | + | Medicare accounts for more than one-fifth of all health spending in the U.S.. Its costs per beneficiary, about $12,000 in 2008, rose at an average annual rate of 8.5% a year from 1970 to 2007. |
| + | |||
==Medicaid== | ==Medicaid== | ||
Medicare is entirely separate from [[Medicaid]], a federal progarm that provides health benefits for poor people without isurance. | Medicare is entirely separate from [[Medicaid]], a federal progarm that provides health benefits for poor people without isurance. | ||
Revision as of 00:30, August 11, 2009
Medicare is the United States Government safety net system that reimburses most expenses for covered medical services for persons over 65 years old and for certain disabled persons under 65 years old as follows:
- All hospital charges for covered services are reimbursed under Medicare Part A; and
- Most physician fees for covered services are reimbursed under Medicare Part B for individuals who have enrolled in Part B and make payments for that coverage.
Originally, Medicare covered only those 65 and older. In 1972, Congress added the disabled, now about 15% of beneficiaries. It also covered dialysis for kidney failure. In 2003, Bush asked for and Congress created a drug benefit. Other services such as hospice care and mammograms have been added.
Politics
Medicare was first implemented as part of President Lyndon Johnson's Great Society in 1965.
Former Democratic Sen. John Breaux made a proposal which supports raising the Medicare eligibility age. [1]
Medicare accounts for more than one-fifth of all health spending in the U.S.. Its costs per beneficiary, about $12,000 in 2008, rose at an average annual rate of 8.5% a year from 1970 to 2007.
Medicaid
Medicare is entirely separate from Medicaid, a federal progarm that provides health benefits for poor people without isurance.