Social Security Act Amendments

"This act was signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson on July 30, 1965. The signing took place at the Truman Presidential Library in Independence, MO, with former President Truman present in order to recognize his early effort to establish a national health insurance program. The act established Medicare, a health insurance program for the elderly, and Medicaid, a health insurance program for the poor..."
Medicare

Medicine and You 2021

Login in here to access the official U.S. government guide to Medicare.."
Medicare

Medicare Financial Status: In Brief

"Medicare, administered by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), is the nation’s federal insurance program that pays for covered health services for most persons aged 65 years and older and for most permanently disabled individuals under the age of 65.1 As a health insurance program, Medicare reimburses health care providers and suppliers, such as hospitals, physicians, and medical equipment companies, for the services and products they provide to Medicare beneficiaries. Medicare is prohibited by law from interfering in the practice of medicine or controlling the manner in which medical services are provided. It also is required to pay for covered services provided to eligible persons so long as specific criteria are met. As such, the growth in per person Medicare expenditures largely reflects the medical practices, use of technology, and underlying costs in the broader health care system. Spending under the program (except for a portion of administrative costs) is considered mandatory spending and is not subject to the appropriations process. Thus, there generally are no limits on annual Medicare spending.

Since its enactment in 1965, the Medicare program has undergone considerable change. Because of its rapid growth, both in terms of aggregate dollars and as a share of the federal budget, the Medicare program has been a major focus of deficit reduction legislation passed by Congress.2 With a few exceptions, reductions in program spending have been achieved largely through freezes or reductions in payments to providers, primarily hospitals and physicians, and by making changes to beneficiary premiums and other cost-sharing requirements. For example, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA; P.L. 111-148, as amended) made numerous changes to the Medicare program that modify provider reimbursements, provide incentives to improve the quality and efficiency of care, and enhance certain Medicare benefits..."
Medicare

2019 Medicare and You

View and 2019 edition of Medicare and You, an annual publication detailing medicare benefits.
Medicare

2018 Medicare Trustees Annual Report

"The Medicare program has two separate trust funds, the Hospital Insurance Trust Fund (HI) and the Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Fund (SMI). HI, otherwise known as Medicare Part A, helps pay for hospital, home health services following hospital stays, skilled nursing facility, and hospice care for the aged and disabled. SMI consists of Medicare Part B and Part D. Part B helps pay for physician, outpatient hospital, home health, and other services for the aged and disabled who have voluntarily enrolled. Part D provides subsidized access to drug insurance coverage on a voluntary basis for all beneficiaries and premium and cost-sharing subsidies for low-income enrollees. Medicare also has a Part C, which serves as an alternative to traditional Part A and Part B coverage. Under this option, beneficiaries can choose to enroll in and receive care from private Medicare Advantage and certain other health insurance plans. Medicare Advantage and Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) plans receive prospective, capitated payments for such beneficiaries from the HI and SMI Part B trust fund accounts; the other plans are paid from the accounts on the basis of their costs.."
Medicare report