Medicare's 45th Anniversary

Did you know that July 30 is the 45th anniversary of Medicare? It's true - it was July 30, 1965 that President Johnson signed Medicare into law and former President Harry Truman was enrolled as Medicare's first beneficiary.
AARP CEO A. Barry Rand issued a statement in recognition of this milestone, and he talked about how the way Americans are aging has changed in 45 years - and Medicare has evolved with us. It has become a program that helps people stay healthy, while remaining a lifeline that provides choices to older Americans who previously had none.
Part of his statement is below:
"As we look to the future, we know that further improvements to Medicare are needed in order to better address the chronic conditions, rising prescription drug costs and other health needs many older Americans face. We've strengthened Medicare by providing free preventive services and closing the prescription drug coverage gap, and we continue our efforts to protect the ability of 47 million older Americans to see their doctor.
"The world looks a lot different now than it did in 1965, and it will look a lot different 45 years from now. AARP will continue to work as hard as we have over the past four decades to keep Medicare a strong and vibrant program that continues to serve as a vital link to health care for millions of older Americans."
Read the entire statement on the anniversary of Medicare.