Thursday, July 30, 2015

Medicare at 50 years old

Fifty years ago, President Lyndon Johnson signed the bill that created the promise of the health insurance that I now enjoy. That's his wife, Lady Bird, looking over his shoulder, former President Harry Truman sitting down (he had tried and failed to win universal healthcare nearly twenty years before), and Vice President Hubert Humphrey smiling broadly.

Like just about everyone else who manages to stumble to 65 and receive Medicare, I'm enormously grateful. How dare Jeb Bush push to phase out Medicare? Ferget it and ferget him!

My friend Ronni Bennett has up a terrific post about the history and current health of Medicare. Take a look. Read the comments too; we elders sure need this program!

When I signed up for Medicare three years ago, the process was complicated by the fact that I'd been getting my insurance through my partner's coverage, but the federal government didn't recognize our relationship. I told that story at Ronni's place. All that nonsense is so over. We're just another couple of old married ladies these days.

Later today I'm going to look in at a celebration of this anniversary called by some of the health care unions. I'll try to get some pictures.

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